Endodontics Question Bank

Read the Endodontics Question Bank sample questions

1. 1.Which of the following statements regarding a test cavity is accurate?

   • A.it is the first test in diagnostic sequence.
   • B.It often results in a dull-pain response.
   • C.It is used when all other test findings are equivocal.Correct
   • D.It should be performed with local anesthetic.

   Why: A test cavity is a last-resort diagnostic measure: a small cavity is drilled into dentin without anesthetic, and a vital pulp produces a sharp pain response. Because it is irreversible and destructive, it is reserved for situations where all other pulp tests (thermal, electric) are equivocal and a definitive answer is still needed.

2. 2.Percussion of a tooth is a test for which of the following?

   • A.Pulpal inflammation
   • B.Pulpal necrosis
   • C.Acute periradicular inflammationCorrect
   • D.Chronic periradicular inflammation

   Why: Percussion does not test the pulp; it tests the periradicular tissues. A painful response to tapping indicates inflammation of the periodontal ligament (acute periradicular/apical periodontitis), regardless of whether the pulp is vital or necrotic.

3. 3.Pulp stones are consistent indicators of which of the following

   • A.Periodontal inflammation impacting the pulp
   • B.Pulpal inflammation
   • C.Older patient
   • D.None of the aboveCorrect

   Why: Pulp stones are extremely common and are found in healthy, inflamed, and aged pulps alike. Because they occur so widely and correlate poorly with any single condition, they are not a reliable indicator of inflammation, periodontal disease, or age.

4. 4.Pulp stones are consistent indicators of which of the following

   • A.Periodontal inflammation impacting the pulp
   • B.Pulpal inflammation
   • C.Older patient
   • D.None of the aboveCorrect

   Why: Pulp stones are extremely common and are found in healthy, inflamed, and aged pulps alike. Because they occur so widely and correlate poorly with any single condition, they are not a reliable indicator of inflammation, periodontal disease, or age.

5. 5.Radiographically, which of the following statements regarding acute apical abscess is most accurate?

   • A.It is generally of larger size than other lesions
   • B.It has more diffuse margins than other lesions
   • C.It often contains radiopacities (i.e., calcification)
   • D.t may not be evident.Correct

   Why: An acute apical abscess develops rapidly, often before bone demineralization is sufficient to be seen radiographically. Early in its course there may be no detectable radiolucency, so a normal-appearing radiograph does not exclude the diagnosis.

6. 6.In which of the following may a false-negative response to the pulp tester occur?

   • A.Primarily in anterior teeth
   • B.In a patient with a history of traumaCorrect
   • C.Most often in teenagers
   • D.In the presence of periodontal disease

   Why: After trauma, a tooth may give a false-negative (no response) to the electric pulp tester even though the pulp is still vital, because transient injury can temporarily disrupt nerve conduction while the blood supply remains intact. Retesting over time is needed.

7. 7.The lateral periodontal abscess is best differentiated from the acute apical abscess by which of the following

   • A.Pulp testingCorrect
   • B.Radiographic appearance
   • C.Location of swelling
   • D.Probing patterns

   Why: A lateral periodontal abscess arises from a tooth with a vital pulp, whereas an acute apical abscess follows pulp necrosis. Pulp testing is therefore the key differentiator: a vital response points to a periodontal origin, a non-vital response to an endodontic origin.

8. 8.The acute apical abscess is best differentiated from the acute apical periodontitis by which of the following?

   • A.Pulp testing
   • B.Radiographic appearance
   • C.Presence of swellingCorrect
   • D.Degree of mobility

   Why: Acute apical periodontitis and acute apical abscess can both produce percussion pain on a non-vital tooth, but the abscess additionally produces a collection of pus that manifests as swelling. The presence of swelling distinguishes the abscess from simple apical periodontitis.

9. 9.Chronic apical periodontitis is best differentiated from acute apical periodontitis by which of the following?

   • A.Pulp testing and radiographic appearance
   • B.Pulp testing and nature of symptoms
   • C.Radiographic appearance and nature of symptoms
   • D.Pulp testing, radiographic appearance, and nature of symptomsCorrect

   Why: Chronic and acute apical periodontitis differ across several parameters: chronic lesions are usually asymptomatic with a radiographic radiolucency, while acute lesions are painful and often show little or no radiographic change. The pulp is typically non-vital in both. Reliable differentiation requires pulp testing, radiographs, and symptom history together.

10. 10.The abrupt change (arrow) in radiographic appearance in the following illustration probably indicates which of the following?

    • A.Calcific metamorphosis
    • B.A dense accumulation of diffuse calcification
    • C.An increased density of overlying bone
    • D.A bifurcation into two canalsCorrect

    Why: An abrupt change in the radiographic outline of a canal, where the canal seems to suddenly disappear or split, most often represents the point at which a single canal divides into two. Calcifications would appear as increasing opacity rather than a branching change.