Pediatric Dentistry Practice Questions
Paediatric dentistry questions combine clinical knowledge with behaviour guidance and development. This set covers behaviour guidance, early childhood caries, preventive care, pulp therapy in primary teeth, paediatric restorative and surgical care, dental trauma in children, space maintenance, developmental anomalies, growth monitoring and special paediatric populations. On the AFK, INBDE, ORE and ADC, expect scenarios that ask for the correct pulp therapy for a primary molar, the right management of an avulsed or intruded tooth by age, or the most appropriate space maintainer after early tooth loss.
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Questions
Question 1 of 10
Pulp Therapy in Primary Teeth
How is formocresol best described in contemporary primary-tooth pulp therapy?
The answer is A.
Formocresol was widely used for primary molar pulpotomy, but concerns about tissue fixation, systemic exposure, and biocompatibility have encouraged use of alternatives. It is neither an obturation paste nor a local anesthetic. Contemporary selection weighs clinical evidence and the favorable biology of newer materials.
Question 2 of 10
Preventive Pediatric Dentistry
Which fluoride varnish application frequency is recommended for children at high caries risk?
The answer is B.
NICE and SIGN guidelines recommend fluoride varnish (22,600 ppm F, 2.2% NaF) every 6 months for all children ≥3 years, and every 3 months for children at high caries risk. For under 3s with ECC, varnish should be applied twice per year.
Question 3 of 10
Pediatric Restorative & Surgical
Which restoration uses a transparent crown form filled with composite for a primary anterior tooth?
The answer is B.
A strip crown uses a clear celluloid crown form as a matrix for composite. After curing, the form is peeled away, leaving an esthetic resin restoration. Moisture control, remaining tooth structure, and adequate bonding surface influence success. It differs from preformed metal or zirconia crowns.
Question 4 of 10
Space Maintenance
Where is a lower lingual holding arch typically used?
The answer is C.
A lower lingual holding arch is a bilateral fixed mandibular appliance, generally supported by erupted permanent molars with its wire related to the lingual surfaces of erupted lower incisors. It preserves arch length across multiple losses. It is not an intra-alveolar guide or a unilateral appliance.
Question 5 of 10
Special Pediatric Populations
Why is cleft lip and palate dental care multidisciplinary?
The answer is C.
Cleft care can involve surgery, pediatrics, dentistry, orthodontics, speech-language therapy, audiology, otolaryngology, psychology, and other services across growth. Decisions are interdependent. A restoration cannot address all needs, and dental development and arch growth influence surgical and orthodontic sequencing.
Question 6 of 10
Growth Monitoring in Pediatric Dentistry
Which feature can be a normal part of the maxillary ugly duckling stage?
The answer is D.
During a normal transitional stage, erupting maxillary canines can influence incisor roots and produce temporary crown flaring and midline spacing. The appearance often improves as canines erupt. It must still be distinguished from pathologic spacing caused by supernumerary teeth, habits, missing teeth, or abnormal frena.
Question 7 of 10
Developmental Dental Anomalies
What is a natal tooth?
The answer is A.
A natal tooth is present at birth. A neonatal tooth erupts during the first thirty days of life. Most are prematurely erupted primary mandibular incisors, although supernumerary identity must be considered. Management is based on identification, mobility, feeding, trauma, aspiration risk, and effects on breastfeeding.
Question 8 of 10
Dental Trauma in Children
What is the goal of apexogenesis after vital pulp injury in an immature permanent tooth?
The answer is C.
Apexogenesis preserves healthy vital pulp tissue so dentin deposition, root lengthening, and apical maturation can continue. It may follow partial pulpotomy or another vital pulp procedure in a suitably diagnosed tooth. It differs from management of a necrotic immature pulp, where regenerative or apical barrier strategies are considered.
Question 9 of 10
Behavior Guidance
The Tell-Show-Do (TSD) technique in pediatric dentistry is best described as:
The answer is C.
Tell-Show-Do (TSD) is a non-pharmacological behavior guidance technique where the clinician first verbally describes the procedure (Tell), then demonstrates it in a non-threatening way (Show), and finally performs the procedure on the patient (Do).
Question 10 of 10
Early Childhood Caries
Why is sleeping with a bottle containing a sugary drink cariogenic?
The answer is D.
During sleep, salivary flow and clearance decline, so repeated or prolonged contact with a sugar-containing drink supports sustained acid production. Maxillary anterior teeth are often prominently affected. The bottle does not clean plaque or increase fluoride, and oral bacteria continue to metabolize fermentable carbohydrate.
Choose an answer to reveal the explanation.
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