The Etiology Behind a Complicated Case With Arrested Root Formation: More Questions Than Answers

This case focuses on dental deviations in a girl now 14 years of age. It is questioned in the article if an accident caused by the girl’s fall into a cactus at the age 1 year and 2 months could possibly result in local dental disorders in the permanent dentition. The disorders were the short roots and small crowns. It is discussed in this paper if it is the pins from the cactus or the many medical and operative procedures for the removal of the pins that caused the disorders. Nine questions concerning etiology are raised and discussed and only partly answered. This case gives new information concerning the normal eruption and resorption processes. It demonstrates how the teeth without roots or with short roots can erupt normally and even earlier than the contralateral teeth. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a second premolar with short root is able to resorb the overlying primary molar. In this dentition with severely malformed teeth, the treatment plan scheduled for the girl still takes into account these normal developmental conditions.