American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) Practice Exam 2025 - Free Orthodontics Practice Questions and Study Guide

Excessive masticatory forces can notably contribute to ankylosis of primary teeth. Ankylosis occurs when a tooth becomes fused to the surrounding bone, preventing normal eruption and leading to other dental complications. In the context of excessive forces, these increased pressures can disrupt the periodontal ligaments and the alveolar bone surrounding the primary teeth. This disruption can impede normal movement and lead to a scenario where the tooth becomes immobilized due to the fusion with the bone, thus resulting in ankylosis.

While other conditions, such as periodontal disease, can also be influenced by masticatory forces, the link to ankylosis highlights the particular impact such forces have on primary teeth, which are still in development and more susceptible to such changes. This condition is distinct because it also affects the growth and development of the underlying permanent teeth, leading to further complications. Masticatory forces do not typically contribute directly to tooth decay in the manner described, nor do they primarily drive orthodontic relapse without other complications involved.