Pericoronitis Site — MFDS Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: B — Mandibular third molar
The correct answer is B, the mandibular third molar. Pericoronitis is inflammation, often with infection, of the soft tissues surrounding the crown of a partially erupted tooth. It occurs most commonly around a partially erupted or impacted mandibular third molar because an overlying operculum can create a plaque-retentive space where food and microorganisms accumulate. Maxillary third molars can occasionally be affected, but much less commonly. A mandibular second molar may be involved in other odontogenic infections but is not the characteristic site. The canine and first-premolar options are not typical sites because these teeth do not commonly remain partially erupted beneath an operculum.
Reference: Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) and Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of England. Antimicrobial Prescribing in Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines, 3rd edition, Section 6: Pericoronitis. 2020. https://rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/files/rcs/fds/publications/fds-amp-2020.pdf