Free ADEX Practice Questions

Question 1

During treatment of tooth #19, caries extends into the inner third of dentin. Before anesthesia, the tooth responded briefly to cold and was not tender to percussion; the patient reported no spontaneous pain. Under rubber-dam isolation, peripheral caries has been removed to hard dentin, but soft dentin remains over the pulp. The tooth is restorable, and a durable peripheral seal can be achieved. How should excavation be completed?

Accepted Answer

Retain the soft pulpal dentin and place a well-sealed definitive restoration.

Answer

Excavate the pulpal floor to hard dentin, even if this exposes the pulp.

Answer

Expose the pulp deliberately and perform a pulpotomy before restoring.

Answer

Place a temporary restoration and require re-entry to remove all remaining soft dentin.

Question 2

A patient reports that pain from tooth #30 wakes him at night. Cold testing reproduces the pain, which persists well after the stimulus is removed. The tooth is tender to percussion but has no swelling or sinus tract. A periapical radiograph shows deep caries and no apical radiolucency. Adjacent teeth respond normally. Record the pulpal and apical diagnoses for tooth #30.

Accepted Answer

Symptomatic irreversible pulpitis; symptomatic apical periodontitis.

Answer

Symptomatic irreversible pulpitis; normal apical tissues.

Answer

Pulp necrosis; symptomatic apical periodontitis.

Answer

Reversible pulpitis; symptomatic apical periodontitis.

Question 3

Sticky foods repeatedly lift the distal-extension bases of a mandibular removable partial denture. The bases fit the ridges, the framework is rigid, and the terminal-abutment rests seat fully. Examination confirms rotation around the line joining those rests. The anterior teeth have good periodontal support, but none carries a rest. Which design change would most directly control this movement?

Accepted Answer

Add an auxiliary rest anterior to the fulcrum.

Answer

Increase engagement of the retentive clasps on the terminal abutments.

Answer

Reline the distal-extension bases without changing the framework design.

Answer

Move the terminal-abutment rests farther toward the distal extensions.

Question 4

At a first periodontal assessment, a 50-year-old has interdental attachment loss up to 7 mm, radiographic bone loss reaching 45% of root length, and pockets up to 8 mm. Excluding third molars, six teeth have been lost: five to caries and one to periodontitis. The remaining 22 teeth provide 11 opposing pairs, without bite collapse, masticatory dysfunction, severe ridge defects, or secondary occlusal trauma. There are no earlier periodontal records. The patient does not smoke and has type 2 diabetes with an HbA1c of 8.4%. What stage and grade should be assigned?

Accepted Answer

Stage III, Grade C.

Answer

Stage III, Grade B.

Answer

Stage IV, Grade B.

Answer

Stage IV, Grade C.

Question 5

Three weeks after a sharp cusp was smoothed, an ulcer on the lateral tongue remains unchanged. It has now been present for five weeks, measures 12 mm, and has a firm, indurated margin. There is no residual source of trauma. The patient describes only mild discomfort. The next step should be:

Accepted Answer

Perform or arrange prompt tissue biopsy.

Answer

Prescribe a topical corticosteroid and reassess after another two weeks.

Answer

Prescribe systemic antibiotics and biopsy only if the ulcer fails to improve.

Answer

Use an optical adjunctive test and defer biopsy if its result is negative.

Question 6

A 6-year-old has completed an indicated pulpotomy on tooth #K. Caries destroyed both marginal ridges, leaving a large mesio-occlusodistal defect with weakened cusps. The roots show minimal physiologic resorption, and the tooth is expected to remain for several years. The child can cooperate with definitive treatment. Which restoration offers the most predictable service until exfoliation?

Accepted Answer

A preformed stainless steel crown.

Answer

A bonded intracoronal composite restoration.

Answer

A high-viscosity glass-ionomer restoration.

Answer

A resin-modified glass-ionomer restoration.

Question 7

Today's INR is 2.6 for a patient taking a stable warfarin dose for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. One erupted, nonrestorable premolar requires an uncomplicated extraction. There is no history of abnormal postoperative bleeding, liver disease, thrombocytopenia, or concurrent antiplatelet use. Local pressure, an absorbable hemostatic material, and suturing are available. Which plan balances the bleeding and thromboembolic risks?

Accepted Answer

Continue the usual dose and use local hemostatic measures.

Answer

Withhold it until the INR falls below 1.5 before extracting.

Answer

Replace it temporarily with heparin for the extraction.

Answer

Postpone office treatment and arrange hospital-based extraction.

Question 8

The restoration on a mandibular implant moves when a patient chews. The crown-abutment unit rotates slightly, but the implant body remains immobile. Probing produces neither bleeding nor suppuration, and comparison with the baseline radiograph shows unchanged supporting bone. The restoration is screw-retained. Where should the investigation begin?

Accepted Answer

Access and inspect the prosthetic screw connection.

Answer

Debride the implant surface for peri-implantitis.

Answer

Plan removal of the fixture for failed osseointegration.

Answer

Adjust the occlusion and reassess without opening the screw access.

Question 9

Tooth #T must be extracted in a healthy, cooperative 5-year-old. Radiographs show that the first permanent molar has not erupted and lies distal to the primary second molar; the second premolar is developing normally. Tooth #S is sound, and there is no existing space loss. Oral hygiene and follow-up are reliable. The appliance must guide the unerupted first permanent molar into position. Which choice meets that need?

Accepted Answer

A distal-shoe space maintainer.

Answer

A conventional band-and-loop space maintainer.

Answer

A lower lingual holding arch.

Answer

A removable acrylic space maintainer.

Question 10

A healthy 7-year-old weighing 22 kg has received one 1.8-mL cartridge of 2% lidocaine with epinephrine 1:100,000. No other local or topical anesthetic has been given. Two more full cartridges are proposed during the same appointment. Use the AAPD-recommended pediatric dental limit for lidocaine. Which assessment of the proposed dose is correct?

Accepted Answer

Reduce the additional dose: 108 mg exceeds the 96.8-mg limit.

Answer

Proceed with the proposed dose: 108 mg is below the 154-mg limit.

Answer

Proceed with the proposed dose: 72 mg is below the 96.8-mg limit.

Answer

Reduce the additional dose: 144 mg would exceed the 96.8-mg limit.

Free ADEX Practice Questions

Domain 1: Medical/Dental Assessment 12% of exam

Question 1

Question 2

Domain 2: Intra and Extra Oral Assessment and Charting 27% of exam

Question 3

Question 4

Domain 3: Radiology/Imaging 15% of exam

Question 5

Question 6

Domain 4: Dental Hygiene Care Planning 13% of exam

Question 7

Domain 5: Patient Care 19% of exam

Question 8

Domain 6: Dental Specialties and Pharmacology 14% of exam

Question 9

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