ABE Endodontic Diagnosis and Radiology 2

Question 1

A patient reports spontaneous, lingering pain that woke them from sleep. Cold testing produces prolonged pain lasting over 30 seconds. What is the most likely pulpal diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Symptomatic irreversible pulpitis

Answer

Spontaneous pain, nocturnal symptoms, and lingering cold response are hallmark signs of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

Question 2

Which CBCT artifact is caused by highly attenuating materials such as gutta-percha or metallic posts and appears as bright streaks across the image?

Accepted Answer

Beam hardening artifact

Answer

Beam hardening artifacts arise when dense materials preferentially absorb low-energy photons, producing bright streak patterns on CBCT images.

Question 3

A tooth responds normally to cold testing but produces pain with biting and has a negative EPT response. Radiographically, a widened PDL space is present. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Symptomatic apical periodontitis with pulp necrosis

Answer

Negative EPT with biting pain and widened PDL space indicates pulp necrosis with periapical inflammation causing symptomatic apical periodontitis.

Question 4

The Clark (SLOB) rule in periapical radiography is used to determine the:

Accepted Answer

Buccolingual position of roots or objects

Answer

The SLOB (Same Lingual Opposite Buccal) rule uses two angulated exposures to determine whether a structure is buccal or lingual in position.

Question 5

Chronic apical abscess is BEST distinguished from an acute apical abscess by which clinical feature?

Accepted Answer

Presence of a sinus tract with minimal pain

Answer

A chronic apical abscess typically presents with a sinus tract (parulis) allowing drainage, resulting in minimal or no pain unlike the acute variant.

(ABE) American Board of Endodontics Practice Test

(ABE) American Board of Endodontics Practice Test

ABE Endodontic Diagnosis and Radiology 2