OSCE DENTAL HYGIENE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
One side shows larger teeth/condyle - ANSWER- patient head is twisted (the
larger side is the distant side)
White straight opacity - ANSWER- slumping causing ghost image of spine
Shadow over maxillary teeth - ANSWER- tongue not touching rough of the
mouth
Anterior teeth thicker and wider - ANSWER- chin placed behind the focal
trough. Enlarged incisors (head too far back).
Skinny anterior teeth - ANSWER- chin placed too far forward. Small incisors
(head too far forward).
Dark shadow on anteriors - ANSWER- Patient not closing lips around biting
blocks.
Ghost image - ANSWER- Jewelry not removed
Incisive foramen on film - ANSWER- -Passageway for nasopalatine nerves.
-Small radiolucent oval between roots of maxillary central incisors.
median palatine suture - ANSWER- vertical radiolucent thin line in the middle
of the palate.
Nasal septum - ANSWER- -Thin wall that divides the nasal cavity into two.
,-Radiopaque vertical strip.
Nasal Spine - ANSWER- -Projection of bone anteriorly.
-Radiopaque triangle shape at medical palatal suture where nasal septum and
fosse meet.
Nasal cavity (Nasal fossae) - ANSWER- -Large air-filled space above and
behind the nose in the middle of the face.
-Radiolucent oval shapes superior to central incisors.
Maxillary sinus - ANSWER- -Hollow spaces in bone superior to molar and
premolar.
Inverted Y - ANSWER- -Junction where the nasal fossa and the maxillary
sinus.
-Most commonly superior to the maxillary canine apex.
Maxillary Tuberosity - ANSWER- -Distal portion of the alveolar process.
-Rounded, radiopaque elevation distal to third molar regions.
Hamulus - ANSWER- -Extension of medial pterygoid plate of sphenoid bone.
Radiopaque hook-like protrusion posterior to maxillary tuberosity.
Zygomatic process - ANSWER- -Slender profusion of the temporal bone that
serves to strengthen the zygomatic arch.
-U-shaped radiopaque band superior to molar apices.
Coronoid Process - ANSWER- -Anterior portion of ramus.
-Radiopaque triangular projection usually superimposed over maxillary
tuberosity.
,Genial tubercles - ANSWER- -Four bony spines used for muscle attachment of
the genioglossus and geniohyoid muscles.
-Circular rap opacities inferior to central incisor apices.
Lingual foramen - ANSWER- -Exit for incisive vessel branches.
-Radiolucent circle inside the radiopaque genial tubercles on the mandibular
anteriors.
Mental Foramen - ANSWER- -Opening for mental nerve and vessels inferior to
mandibular premolar apices.
-Round radiolucent area sometimes mistaken for periodical disease.
Mental ridge - ANSWER- -Ridge of bone located on the anterior surface of the
mandible.
-Bilateral radiopaque lines, starting inferior to premolar apices and extending
anteriorly to the midline.
External oblique ridge - ANSWER- -Linear area of bone on external surface of
mandible.
-Radiopaque line running anterior from the ramus across the molars.
Internal oblique ridge (mylohyoid) - ANSWER- -Elevated long area on the
internal surface of mandible.
-Radiopaque line running along the premolar and molar apices.
-Usually positioned below the external oblique ridge on radiographs.
Nutrient canals - ANSWER- -Veritcal thin radiolucent lines near the teeth, may
be mistaken for bone fractures.
, Mandibular canal - ANSWER- -Radiolucent horizontal band outlined with a
thin line of cortical bone.
-Inferior alveolar nerve and arteries pass inside the canal. Stretches from the
mandibular foramen to the mental foramen.
Panoramic exposure - ANSWER- -Useful for evaluating impacted teeth,
eruption patterns, TMJ problems, etc.
-Usually not clear and detailed enough to assess caries and periodontal disease.
Periapical (PA) - ANSWER- -Captures the crown, CEJ, root, and surrounding
areas.
-Used mainly for diagnosis of periodontal disease, pathology, endodontic
therapy, and implants.
Bitewing (BW) - ANSWER- -Captures crowns, contacts, and height of alveolar
bone.
-Used mainly for the diagnosis of dental caries (interproximally)
-Vertical bitewings can detect early periodontal disease because the bone level
is visible.
Occlusal - ANSWER- -Captures bone surrounding the teeth, floor of the mouth,
sialolith (stone), supernumerary teeth, etc.
Full-mouth series (FMX) - ANSWER- -Represent the entire dentition using a
combination of PAs and BWs.
Incipient caries - ANSWER- Lesion that extends less than halfway through the
enamel.
Moderate carious lesion - ANSWER- Lesion that extends more than halfway
through the enamel but does not involve the DEJ.
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
One side shows larger teeth/condyle - ANSWER- patient head is twisted (the
larger side is the distant side)
White straight opacity - ANSWER- slumping causing ghost image of spine
Shadow over maxillary teeth - ANSWER- tongue not touching rough of the
mouth
Anterior teeth thicker and wider - ANSWER- chin placed behind the focal
trough. Enlarged incisors (head too far back).
Skinny anterior teeth - ANSWER- chin placed too far forward. Small incisors
(head too far forward).
Dark shadow on anteriors - ANSWER- Patient not closing lips around biting
blocks.
Ghost image - ANSWER- Jewelry not removed
Incisive foramen on film - ANSWER- -Passageway for nasopalatine nerves.
-Small radiolucent oval between roots of maxillary central incisors.
median palatine suture - ANSWER- vertical radiolucent thin line in the middle
of the palate.
Nasal septum - ANSWER- -Thin wall that divides the nasal cavity into two.
,-Radiopaque vertical strip.
Nasal Spine - ANSWER- -Projection of bone anteriorly.
-Radiopaque triangle shape at medical palatal suture where nasal septum and
fosse meet.
Nasal cavity (Nasal fossae) - ANSWER- -Large air-filled space above and
behind the nose in the middle of the face.
-Radiolucent oval shapes superior to central incisors.
Maxillary sinus - ANSWER- -Hollow spaces in bone superior to molar and
premolar.
Inverted Y - ANSWER- -Junction where the nasal fossa and the maxillary
sinus.
-Most commonly superior to the maxillary canine apex.
Maxillary Tuberosity - ANSWER- -Distal portion of the alveolar process.
-Rounded, radiopaque elevation distal to third molar regions.
Hamulus - ANSWER- -Extension of medial pterygoid plate of sphenoid bone.
Radiopaque hook-like protrusion posterior to maxillary tuberosity.
Zygomatic process - ANSWER- -Slender profusion of the temporal bone that
serves to strengthen the zygomatic arch.
-U-shaped radiopaque band superior to molar apices.
Coronoid Process - ANSWER- -Anterior portion of ramus.
-Radiopaque triangular projection usually superimposed over maxillary
tuberosity.
,Genial tubercles - ANSWER- -Four bony spines used for muscle attachment of
the genioglossus and geniohyoid muscles.
-Circular rap opacities inferior to central incisor apices.
Lingual foramen - ANSWER- -Exit for incisive vessel branches.
-Radiolucent circle inside the radiopaque genial tubercles on the mandibular
anteriors.
Mental Foramen - ANSWER- -Opening for mental nerve and vessels inferior to
mandibular premolar apices.
-Round radiolucent area sometimes mistaken for periodical disease.
Mental ridge - ANSWER- -Ridge of bone located on the anterior surface of the
mandible.
-Bilateral radiopaque lines, starting inferior to premolar apices and extending
anteriorly to the midline.
External oblique ridge - ANSWER- -Linear area of bone on external surface of
mandible.
-Radiopaque line running anterior from the ramus across the molars.
Internal oblique ridge (mylohyoid) - ANSWER- -Elevated long area on the
internal surface of mandible.
-Radiopaque line running along the premolar and molar apices.
-Usually positioned below the external oblique ridge on radiographs.
Nutrient canals - ANSWER- -Veritcal thin radiolucent lines near the teeth, may
be mistaken for bone fractures.
, Mandibular canal - ANSWER- -Radiolucent horizontal band outlined with a
thin line of cortical bone.
-Inferior alveolar nerve and arteries pass inside the canal. Stretches from the
mandibular foramen to the mental foramen.
Panoramic exposure - ANSWER- -Useful for evaluating impacted teeth,
eruption patterns, TMJ problems, etc.
-Usually not clear and detailed enough to assess caries and periodontal disease.
Periapical (PA) - ANSWER- -Captures the crown, CEJ, root, and surrounding
areas.
-Used mainly for diagnosis of periodontal disease, pathology, endodontic
therapy, and implants.
Bitewing (BW) - ANSWER- -Captures crowns, contacts, and height of alveolar
bone.
-Used mainly for the diagnosis of dental caries (interproximally)
-Vertical bitewings can detect early periodontal disease because the bone level
is visible.
Occlusal - ANSWER- -Captures bone surrounding the teeth, floor of the mouth,
sialolith (stone), supernumerary teeth, etc.
Full-mouth series (FMX) - ANSWER- -Represent the entire dentition using a
combination of PAs and BWs.
Incipient caries - ANSWER- Lesion that extends less than halfway through the
enamel.
Moderate carious lesion - ANSWER- Lesion that extends more than halfway
through the enamel but does not involve the DEJ.
