Dental OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) Practice Exam

Which dental structure may exhibit changes due to diseases that affect the Lamina Dura?

1. Enamel

2. Dentin

3. Pulp

4. Alveolar bone

The correct answer is: Alveolar bone

The alveolar bone is the correct answer because it is directly associated with the lamina dura, which is the thin layer of compact bone that lines the tooth socket. Diseases that impact the lamina dura, such as periodontal disease or other conditions that affect bone density, can cause changes in the alveolar bone integrity and density. This may manifest as loss of bone height, changes in radiographic appearance, or alterations in the structure of the bone surrounding the teeth. The other dental structures, such as enamel, dentin, and pulp, are not affected in the same direct manner by changes in the lamina dura. Enamel is the hard outer layer of the tooth and primarily responds to external factors like acidic attacks, whereas dentin is a dentine tissue underneath the enamel that may react to caries or trauma. The pulp lies in the center of the tooth and can undergo changes due to caries, trauma, or inflammation, but these processes do not involve the lamina dura directly. Thus, the connection between the lamina dura and alveolar bone makes the alveolar bone the structure most likely to exhibit changes due to diseases affecting the lamina dura.