Prepare for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Oral Boards. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations to ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

For avulsion with open apex and extraoral time greater than 60 minutes, which preservation step is recommended?

When an avulsed tooth with an incomplete root formation has been out of the mouth for a long time, the priority is to reduce external inflammatory root resorption after replantation. Soaking the tooth in fluoride before replantation makes the root surface more resistant to resorption by altering the root surface and dentin with fluoride. A 2% sodium fluoride solution for about 20 minutes is the standard step that provides this protective effect and improves the prognosis after replantation. Gently rinsing or irrigating with saline cleans the tooth but does not impart the protective fluoride layer that lowers resorption risk. Suturing alone doesn’t address the root surface condition or resorption concerns.

When an avulsed tooth with an incomplete root formation has been out of the mouth for a long time, the priority is to reduce external inflammatory root resorption after replantation. Soaking the tooth in fluoride before replantation makes the root surface more resistant to resorption by altering the root surface and dentin with fluoride. A 2% sodium fluoride solution for about 20 minutes is the standard step that provides this protective effect and improves the prognosis after replantation.

Gently rinsing or irrigating with saline cleans the tooth but does not impart the protective fluoride layer that lowers resorption risk. Suturing alone doesn’t address the root surface condition or resorption concerns.