Oral and maxillofacial surgery: dental clearance before radiotherapy: 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.

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Dentistry · Oral and maxillofacial surgery: dental clearance before radiotherapy

Sample item

A patient is due for head and neck radiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer. What is the correct dental advice?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Extract hopeless teeth ideally 10 to 14 days before radiotherapy

Teeth with a poor prognosis are extracted before radiotherapy, allowing mucosal healing, to prevent later osteoradionecrosis. Fluoride care and oral hygiene are also given.

Option by option

  • A. Extract all teeth after radiotherapy

    Extractions in irradiated bone raise the risk of necrosis.

  • B. Extract hopeless teeth ideally 10 to 14 days before radiotherapy (correct)

    Correct. Pre-radiation extraction reduces the risk of osteoradionecrosis.

  • C. Place implants in irradiated bone immediately

    Implants in freshly irradiated bone raise the risk of failure and necrosis.

  • D. Avoid any dental assessment

    A dental assessment before radiotherapy is essential.

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.

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Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is B, Extract hopeless teeth ideally 10 to 14 days before radiotherapy. Teeth with a poor prognosis are extracted before radiotherapy, allowing mucosal healing, to prevent later osteoradionecrosis.

Why is "Extract all teeth after radiotherapy" not the answer?

Extractions in irradiated bone raise the risk of necrosis.

Why is "Place implants in irradiated bone immediately" not the answer?

Implants in freshly irradiated bone raise the risk of failure and necrosis.

Why is "Avoid any dental assessment" not the answer?

A dental assessment before radiotherapy is essential.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral and maxillofacial surgery: dental clearance before radiotherapy in Dentistry. Fluoride care and oral hygiene are also given.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. 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: dental clearance before radiotherapy?

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.