Oral and maxillofacial surgery: unilateral condylar fracture: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Dentistry · Oral and maxillofacial surgery: unilateral condylar fracture

Sample item

A man hit on the chin has pain in front of the left ear. On opening, the jaw deviates to the left, and the teeth contact early on the left side. Which injury is likely?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Left condylar fracture

With a unilateral condylar fracture the lateral pterygoid on the fractured side cannot be opposed, so the mandible deviates toward the injured side on opening. Premature contact occurs on the fractured side because of ramus shortening.

Option by option

  • A. Left condylar fracture (correct)

    Correct. Deviation toward the left suggests a left condylar fracture.

  • B. Fracture of the zygomatic arch

    A zygomatic arch fracture causes trismus by impinging on the coronoid.

  • C. Fracture of the coronoid process

    Coronoid fractures cause trismus but not deviation.

  • D. Right condylar fracture

    A right fracture would deviate the jaw to the right.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Dentistry questions

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is A, Left condylar fracture. With a unilateral condylar fracture the lateral pterygoid on the fractured side cannot be opposed, so the mandible deviates toward the injured side on opening.

Why is "Fracture of the zygomatic arch" not the answer?

A zygomatic arch fracture causes trismus by impinging on the coronoid.

Why is "Fracture of the coronoid process" not the answer?

Coronoid fractures cause trismus but not deviation.

Why is "Right condylar fracture" not the answer?

A right fracture would deviate the jaw to the right.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral and maxillofacial surgery: unilateral condylar fracture in Dentistry. Premature contact occurs on the fractured side because of ramus shortening.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Oral and maxillofacial surgery: unilateral condylar fracture?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.