ORAL PATHOLOGY PRACTICE EXAM TEST QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔Cyst
(Lesions BELOW the mucosal surface) - ✔✔A fluid or semisolid, fluid filled sac.
Material contained within cyst NOT always infectious. '
May form around an unerupted tooth
✔✔Blisters
(Lesions ABOVE the mucosal surface) - ✔✔A lesion filled with a watery fluid
AKA: Vesicles
Rarely seen in oral cavity because they tend to rupture leaving ulcers with ragged
edges.
✔✔Pustule
(Lesions ABOVE the mucosal surface) - ✔✔Like a blister but it contains pus
✔✔Hematoma
(Lesions ABOVE the mucosal surface) - ✔✔Like a blister but it contains blood
✔✔Plaque
(Lesions ABOVE the mucosal surface) - ✔✔Any patch or flat area that is slightly raised
from the surface
(not to be confused with dental plaque or biofilm)
✔✔Patch
(Lesions EVEN with the mucosal surface) - ✔✔A lesion that is flat or even with the
surface of the mucosa.
Well defined area of discoloration
✔✔Ecchymosis
(Lesions EVEN with the mucosal surface) - ✔✔AKA: Bruising
✔✔Petechiae
(Lesions EVEN with the mucosal surface) - ✔✔Small, pinpoint hemorrhages (areas of
bleeding)
✔✔Nodules
, (RAISED or FLAT lesions) - ✔✔Small, round, solid lesions.
When palpated, feels like a pea beneath the surface.
✔✔Granuloma
(RAISED or FLAT lesions) - ✔✔A type of nodule containing granulation tissue
(suffix -oma means tumour or neoplasm = any mass of tissue that grows beyond normal
size and serves no useful purpose)
A granuloma may appear as swollen mass on the gingival surface or within the bone as
a periapical granuloma at the apex of a non-vital tooth
✔✔Leukoplakia
(Diseases of the oral soft tissues) - ✔✔"White patch" or plaque on the oral mucosa that
CANNOT be wiped off.
Lesions may vary in appearance from fine, white transparency to a heavy, thick warty
plaque.
Cause unknown, but presence often linked to chronic irritation or trauma (use of
smokeless tobacco, poorly fitting dentures, cheek biting habit)
Major Concern: often appears before a malignant lesion develops
✔✔Lichen Planus
(Diseases of the oral soft tissues) - ✔✔Benign, chronic disease which affects the skin
and oral mucosa
Cause unknown.
Patchy white lesions exhibit pattern of circles and interconnecting, lace-like, white lines
called "Wickham's Striae:.
A 2nd type can cause erosive lesions that worsen with stress
✔✔Candidiasis
(Diseases of the oral soft tissues) - ✔✔Superficial infection, caused by fungus Candida
Albicans.
Accompanied by; discomfort/pain, halitosis (bad breath) & dysgeusia (distorted sense of
taste)
Does not usually occur in the healthy general population.
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔Cyst
(Lesions BELOW the mucosal surface) - ✔✔A fluid or semisolid, fluid filled sac.
Material contained within cyst NOT always infectious. '
May form around an unerupted tooth
✔✔Blisters
(Lesions ABOVE the mucosal surface) - ✔✔A lesion filled with a watery fluid
AKA: Vesicles
Rarely seen in oral cavity because they tend to rupture leaving ulcers with ragged
edges.
✔✔Pustule
(Lesions ABOVE the mucosal surface) - ✔✔Like a blister but it contains pus
✔✔Hematoma
(Lesions ABOVE the mucosal surface) - ✔✔Like a blister but it contains blood
✔✔Plaque
(Lesions ABOVE the mucosal surface) - ✔✔Any patch or flat area that is slightly raised
from the surface
(not to be confused with dental plaque or biofilm)
✔✔Patch
(Lesions EVEN with the mucosal surface) - ✔✔A lesion that is flat or even with the
surface of the mucosa.
Well defined area of discoloration
✔✔Ecchymosis
(Lesions EVEN with the mucosal surface) - ✔✔AKA: Bruising
✔✔Petechiae
(Lesions EVEN with the mucosal surface) - ✔✔Small, pinpoint hemorrhages (areas of
bleeding)
✔✔Nodules
, (RAISED or FLAT lesions) - ✔✔Small, round, solid lesions.
When palpated, feels like a pea beneath the surface.
✔✔Granuloma
(RAISED or FLAT lesions) - ✔✔A type of nodule containing granulation tissue
(suffix -oma means tumour or neoplasm = any mass of tissue that grows beyond normal
size and serves no useful purpose)
A granuloma may appear as swollen mass on the gingival surface or within the bone as
a periapical granuloma at the apex of a non-vital tooth
✔✔Leukoplakia
(Diseases of the oral soft tissues) - ✔✔"White patch" or plaque on the oral mucosa that
CANNOT be wiped off.
Lesions may vary in appearance from fine, white transparency to a heavy, thick warty
plaque.
Cause unknown, but presence often linked to chronic irritation or trauma (use of
smokeless tobacco, poorly fitting dentures, cheek biting habit)
Major Concern: often appears before a malignant lesion develops
✔✔Lichen Planus
(Diseases of the oral soft tissues) - ✔✔Benign, chronic disease which affects the skin
and oral mucosa
Cause unknown.
Patchy white lesions exhibit pattern of circles and interconnecting, lace-like, white lines
called "Wickham's Striae:.
A 2nd type can cause erosive lesions that worsen with stress
✔✔Candidiasis
(Diseases of the oral soft tissues) - ✔✔Superficial infection, caused by fungus Candida
Albicans.
Accompanied by; discomfort/pain, halitosis (bad breath) & dysgeusia (distorted sense of
taste)
Does not usually occur in the healthy general population.
