Comprehensive orthodontic treatment in a case of mandibular second molar impaction causing root resorption of the adjacent first molar

Abstract

Impacted permanent teeth sometimes cause root resorption of adjacent teeth. On the one hand, such abnormal resorption mostly results from impacted maxillary canines interfering the roots of the incisors; there have been affluent reports of such cases. On the other hand, rarely seen are cases of mandibular first molars affected by impacted second molars due to low incident rate of impaction of second molars. Presented in this report, however, is an instance of such rare case to which full-mouth orthodontic and occlusal treatment was applied after extraction of bilateral mandibular first molars and bilateral maxillary first premolars. Full-mouth orthodontic treatment enabled establishment of anterior guidance and intercuspation of molars with natural teeth alone, which in turn resulted in stable occlusion. As in the present case, severe root resorption without any discomfort, symptom, or mobility, may be found only via X-ray assessment.