American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) Practice Exam 2026 – All-in-One Resource to Master Your Orthodontics Certification!

Question: 1 / 660

Internal root resorption is primarily caused by which of the following?

Trauma to the tooth

Long-standing chronic inflammation in pulp

Internal root resorption occurs when the odontoclastic cells within the pulp chamber of a tooth become activated, leading to the breakdown of dentin from the inside out. This process is most commonly associated with long-standing chronic inflammation in the pulp. When inflammation persists, it can stimulate these cells, causing them to resorb the tooth structure.

Trauma to the tooth may lead to external factors that contribute to resorption, but the direct stimulation of the internal mechanisms specifically aligns with chronic pulp inflammation. In the case of overcrowding, while it can affect the position and spacing of teeth, it does not directly initiate internal root resorption. Infection from periodontal disease largely affects the supporting structures of the tooth rather than the pulp itself and would not cause internal resorption.

Therefore, the correct answer highlights the role of chronic inflammation as the primary catalyst for the onset of internal root resorption.

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Overcrowding of teeth

Infection from periodontal disease

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