Orthodontics and paediatric dentistry: ectopic maxillary canine: 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 · Orthodontics and paediatric dentistry: ectopic maxillary canine

Sample item

An 11-year-old has no palpable bulge for the upper canine, and the retained primary canine is firm. A radiograph shows the permanent canine crown overlapping the lateral incisor root, palatally positioned. What interceptive step is suggested?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Extract the primary canine and review the eruption path

The maxillary canine is the most commonly impacted tooth after the third molars. In a child aged about 10 to 13 with a canine in an unfavourable position, extraction of the retained primary canine can help the permanent canine to correct its path, and this is followed by radiographic review. Surgical exposure is considered later if it fails.

Option by option

  • A. Extract the primary canine and review the eruption path (correct)

    Correct. Removing the primary canine can encourage a normal path of eruption.

  • B. Wait without review until the age of sixteen

    Waiting without monitoring risks resorption of the lateral incisor root.

  • C. Surgically expose the canine and attach a bonded chain now

    Exposure and bonding are considered later if the canine fails to improve.

  • D. Extract the permanent lateral incisor immediately

    Extracting a permanent incisor is not interceptive treatment and is unnecessary at this stage.

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, Extract the primary canine and review the eruption path. The maxillary canine is the most commonly impacted tooth after the third molars.

Why is "Wait without review until the age of sixteen" not the answer?

Waiting without monitoring risks resorption of the lateral incisor root.

Why is "Surgically expose the canine and attach a bonded chain now" not the answer?

Exposure and bonding are considered later if the canine fails to improve.

Why is "Extract the permanent lateral incisor immediately" not the answer?

Extracting a permanent incisor is not interceptive treatment and is unnecessary at this stage.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Orthodontics and paediatric dentistry: ectopic maxillary canine in Dentistry. In a child aged about 10 to 13 with a canine in an unfavourable position, extraction of the retained primary canine can help the permanent canine to correct its path, and this is followed by radiographic review. Surgical exposure is considered later if it fails.

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 Orthodontics and paediatric dentistry: ectopic maxillary canine?

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.