Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: periodontal biotype and recession: 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 · Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: periodontal biotype and recession

Sample item

A young woman has a thin, scalloped gingival margin, triangular crowns and a narrow zone of keratinised tissue. She is about to start orthodontic proclination of the lower incisors. Which complication is she most prone to?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Gingival recession

A thin, scalloped biotype has thin bone plates and fragile gingiva, so it is prone to recession after trauma, restorative margins or tooth movement. A thick, flat biotype instead tends to form pockets and responds with fibrous enlargement.

Option by option

  • A. Hyperplasia of the interdental papillae

    Papillary hyperplasia is not the expected response of a thin biotype.

  • B. Gingival recession (correct)

    Correct. Thin tissue over thin bone responds to insults with recession.

  • C. Deep intrabony pocketing

    Deep intrabony pockets are more typical of the thick, flat biotype.

  • D. Fibrous gingival enlargement

    Fibrous enlargement is a feature of thick gingival tissue.

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, Gingival recession. A thin, scalloped biotype has thin bone plates and fragile gingiva, so it is prone to recession after trauma, restorative margins or tooth movement.

Why is "Hyperplasia of the interdental papillae" not the answer?

Papillary hyperplasia is not the expected response of a thin biotype.

Why is "Deep intrabony pocketing" not the answer?

Deep intrabony pockets are more typical of the thick, flat biotype.

Why is "Fibrous gingival enlargement" not the answer?

Fibrous enlargement is a feature of thick gingival tissue.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: periodontal biotype and recession in Dentistry. A thick, flat biotype instead tends to form pockets and responds with fibrous enlargement.

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 Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: periodontal biotype and recession?

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.