Immunopathological response in external dental resorption

Abstract

The study of root resorption and its immunopathogenesis is extremely important for preserving teeth within the oral cavity. Resorption may be infl ammatory or by substitution and it can be triggered by traumatism, induced movement of teeth, periapical disease, periodontal treatment and whitening of non-vital teeth. During odontogenesis, dentin is protected from the immune system and later this protection is provided externally by the cementum, cementoblasts and enamel and internally by the odontoblastic layer. After the process of deciduous root resorption, dentin proteins that have not been yet been presented to the immune system become sequestered antigens that can induce autoimmune responses and play a role in etiopathogenesis of dental resorption. When their protective barriers are missing, hormones and cells that are present during infl ammatory processes induce activation of clasts which, when unbalanced, no longer perform physiological bone remodeling and begin to provoke an immunopathological response that causes dental resorption. The main objective of this paper is to present the results of a review of the literature, discussing and elucidating important aspects of external root resorption and conducting an in-depth study of the role of immunopathological response in resorption.