Oral surgery: dry socket: 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 surgery: dry socket

Sample item

Three days after a difficult mandibular molar extraction, a patient has escalating severe pain, halitosis, and an empty socket with exposed bone. What is the most likely diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Alveolar osteitis

Alveolar osteitis, or dry socket, results from loss or breakdown of the socket blood clot and commonly presents with severe pain several days after extraction. Local irrigation and dressing are typical supportive measures.

Option by option

  • A. Temporomandibular dislocation

    TMJ dislocation causes inability to close the mouth rather than socket pain.

  • B. Alveolar osteitis (correct)

    Correct. Timing, exposed socket bone, and severe pain are classic for dry socket.

  • C. Postoperative hematoma

    A hematoma presents with swelling and blood collection rather than an empty painful socket.

  • D. Acute sinusitis

    Sinusitis causes facial pressure and nasal symptoms.

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 B, Alveolar osteitis. Alveolar osteitis, or dry socket, results from loss or breakdown of the socket blood clot and commonly presents with severe pain several days after extraction.

Why is "Temporomandibular dislocation" not the answer?

TMJ dislocation causes inability to close the mouth rather than socket pain.

Why is "Postoperative hematoma" not the answer?

A hematoma presents with swelling and blood collection rather than an empty painful socket.

Why is "Acute sinusitis" not the answer?

Sinusitis causes facial pressure and nasal symptoms.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral surgery: dry socket in Dentistry. Local irrigation and dressing are typical supportive measures.

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 surgery: dry socket?

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.