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Tooth Sectioning for Extraction — NDEB AFK MCQ

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ModerateOral SurgeryTooth Sectioning for ExtractionNDEB AFK

Which of the following is the recommended technique for extracting a mandibular first molar with widely divergent roots that resist conventional forceps extraction?

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

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Correct answer: E — Sectioning the tooth (hemisection) into mesial and distal halves and extracting each half separately

When a mandibular molar has widely divergent roots (or curved roots, hypercementosis, dense bone) that resist conventional forceps extraction, the surgical approach is tooth sectioning. The crown is divided mesiodistally (usually with a surgical bur under irrigation) into mesial and distal halves, and each half is then extracted independently with elevators (each half can be elevated toward the empty space created by removing the other half). This reduces the force required, minimises risk of root fracture, and decreases the likelihood of alveolar bone fracture.

Reference: Hupp – Contemporary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 7th ed., 2019