Caries and periodontal disease: irreversible pulpitis: 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 and periodontal disease: irreversible pulpitis

Sample item

A patient has spontaneous, throbbing night-time toothache from a deeply carious molar. Cold causes pain that lingers for minutes after the stimulus is removed. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Irreversible pulpitis

Spontaneous pain and lingering response to thermal stimuli indicate irreversible pulpitis. Reversible pulpitis gives brief pain that stops when the stimulus is removed. Treatment of irreversible pulpitis is root canal therapy or extraction.

Option by option

  • A. Cracked enamel without pulp involvement

    Enamel cracks do not usually cause spontaneous lingering night pain.

  • B. Pulp necrosis

    A necrotic pulp does not respond to thermal tests.

  • C. Irreversible pulpitis (correct)

    Correct. Spontaneous and lingering pain is characteristic.

  • D. Reversible pulpitis

    Reversible pulpitis pain is short and stimulus-dependent.

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 C, Irreversible pulpitis. Spontaneous pain and lingering response to thermal stimuli indicate irreversible pulpitis.

Why is "Cracked enamel without pulp involvement" not the answer?

Enamel cracks do not usually cause spontaneous lingering night pain.

Why is "Pulp necrosis" not the answer?

A necrotic pulp does not respond to thermal tests.

Why is "Reversible pulpitis" not the answer?

Reversible pulpitis pain is short and stimulus-dependent.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Caries and periodontal disease: irreversible pulpitis in Dentistry. Reversible pulpitis gives brief pain that stops when the stimulus is removed. Treatment of irreversible pulpitis is root canal therapy or extraction.

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 Caries and periodontal disease: irreversible pulpitis?

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.