HOSA Dental Terminology Practice

Which of the following describes the result of a failed organ development?

1. Aplasia

2. Hypertrophy

3. Atrophy

4. Hyperplasia

The correct answer is: Aplasia

Aplasia refers specifically to the absence or failure of an organ or tissue to develop properly. This condition occurs when the organ, cell, or tissue does not form at all during development, which can lead to significant health issues depending on the affected area. For example, congenital aplasia can result in organs such as the kidneys developing improperly or not at all. In contrast, hypertrophy describes the increase in size of existing cells in an organ or tissue, leading to an enlargement of that organ. Atrophy, on the other hand, refers to the reduction in size or wasting away of an organ or tissue due to various factors, such as disuse or disease. Hyperplasia represents an increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue, which can also lead to enlargement, but it does not imply that any tissue or organ fails to develop. Thus, aplasia is the term that accurately describes the complete failure of organ development, highlighting its critical role in understanding developmental abnormalities in medical contexts.