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

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What can lip or cheek laceration potentially cause in dental pathology?

Infection of tooth roots

Canine impaction

A lip or cheek laceration can lead to significant complications in dental pathology, particularly due to the proximity of these soft tissues to the teeth and underlying structures. The most relevant consequence in this context is the potential for canine impaction.

When a laceration occurs in the lip or cheek region, it may disrupt the normal eruption path of nearby teeth, especially canines, which have a specific path of eruption influenced by surrounding anatomy. If the laceration leads to swelling or shifts in the soft tissue, it can obstruct the intended trajectory of the canine, possibly resulting in impaction. This is particularly relevant with maxillary canines, as their eruption path is closely associated with the corresponding buccal and lingual tissues.

The other options, such as the infection of tooth roots and fracturing of maxillary bone, are primarily complications associated with trauma or pathologies that do not result directly from simple soft tissue injuries like lacerations. While they are important considerations in a broader trauma context, the direct result of a lip or cheek laceration is most likely to cause issues with the adjacent teeth, notably leading to conditions like canine impaction.

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Fracturing of maxillary bone

All of the above

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