Anticoagulant Extraction Limits — ORE Part 1 MCQ
Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.
Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.
Reveal the answer and explanation
Correct answer: B — Limit the initial treatment area and assess bleeding before continuing; SDCEP suggests limiting to 3 teeth initially
In a patient on warfarin with INR below 4, SDCEP recommends a pragmatic staged approach: extract up to 3 teeth (or perform a single extraction) at the initial visit, then evaluate bleeding control using local haemostatic measures. This approach balances safe management of anticoagulation-related bleeding risk with clinical efficiency, allowing further treatment in subsequent sessions if healing is satisfactory. No interruption of anticoagulation is needed when INR <4. Distractors fail because option A is unnecessarily restrictive, C exceeds safe limits, D ignores the established staging principle, and E imposes an anatomically arbitrary distinction not supported by guidance.
Reference: SDCEP. Management of Dental Patients Taking Anticoagulants or Antiplatelet Drugs (2nd Edition). 2022. Section: Warfarin or another Vitamin K antagonist. Available at: https://companion.sdcep.org.uk/management-of-dental-patients-taking-anticoagulants-or-antiplatelet-drugs/treatment-recommendations/warfarin-or-another-vitamin-k-antagonist/