Oral surgery: lingual nerve injury: 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: lingual nerve injury

Sample item

After lower third-molar extraction, a patient loses general sensation and taste over the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. Which nerve is injured?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Lingual nerve

The lingual nerve carries general sensation from the anterior tongue and receives chorda tympani taste fibers. It can be injured during mandibular third-molar procedures.

Option by option

  • A. Lingual nerve (correct)

    Correct. Combined anterior tongue sensation and taste loss is lingual-nerve injury.

  • B. Glossopharyngeal nerve

    Glossopharyngeal supplies posterior tongue sensation and taste.

  • C. Hypoglossal nerve

    Hypoglossal injury causes tongue motor weakness.

  • D. Inferior alveolar nerve

    Inferior alveolar injury affects lower lip and chin sensation.

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 A, Lingual nerve. The lingual nerve carries general sensation from the anterior tongue and receives chorda tympani taste fibers.

Why is "Glossopharyngeal nerve" not the answer?

Glossopharyngeal supplies posterior tongue sensation and taste.

Why is "Hypoglossal nerve" not the answer?

Hypoglossal injury causes tongue motor weakness.

Why is "Inferior alveolar nerve" not the answer?

Inferior alveolar injury affects lower lip and chin sensation.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral surgery: lingual nerve injury in Dentistry. It can be injured during mandibular third-molar procedures.

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: lingual nerve injury?

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.