Dental Component Aspiration — ORE Part 1 MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

ModerateOral SurgeryDental Component AspirationORE Part 1

During treatment, a small crown becomes unaccounted for. The patient coughs briefly but remains able to speak in full sentences and is breathing normally. The crown is not visible in the mouth and has not been recovered. What is the most appropriate immediate management?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: A — Encourage coughing, observe closely, and arrange urgent transfer for hospital assessment

Explanation lettering: E = shown as B · D = shown as C · C = shown as D · B = shown as E

A is correct. The patient has an effective cough: they can speak and breathe normally. NHS choking guidance is therefore to encourage coughing and avoid a blind finger sweep, as this may push an unseen object further down. Because the dental component remains unaccounted for, aspiration cannot be excluded despite clinical stability; dental foreign bodies may lodge in the tracheobronchial tree with few or no immediate symptoms. Urgent hospital assessment is required to locate the object and arrange definitive management if aspiration is confirmed. B is unsafe because blind oral/pharyngeal instrumentation can dislodge the object deeper. C is for severe choking with an ineffective cough, inability to speak or breathe, or deteriorating consciousness. D and E wrongly assume that resolution of cough excludes aspiration and would delay investigation of a potentially retained airway foreign body.

Reference: NHS, First aid — Choking, accessed July 2026, https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/first-aid/