Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT)

What condition is associated with hypercementosis?

1. Gingival hyperplasia

2. Paget's disease

3. Periodontitis

4. Dental caries

The correct answer is: Paget's disease

Hypercementosis refers to the excessive formation of cementum on the roots of teeth and can be associated with various dental and systemic conditions. Paget's disease is a chronic disorder that can result in enlarged and weakened bones throughout the body, including the jawbone. This condition often leads to changes in the dental architecture and can cause hypercementosis due to the alterations in the normal bone metabolism surrounding the teeth. In Paget's disease, there is an increase in both cementum and periodontal ligament activity, leading to the accumulation of cementum on the roots of teeth. This accumulation is a direct result of the disruption in the normal biological processes that govern both bone resorption and formation. Other conditions, such as gingival hyperplasia, periodontitis, and dental caries, might impact dental health significantly, but they do not typically lead to hypercementosis. Gingival hyperplasia is an overgrowth of gum tissue, periodontitis is an inflammatory condition affecting the supporting structures of the teeth, and dental caries is the decay of tooth structure. None of these conditions inherently cause the excessive deposition of cementum on the roots, making Paget's disease the correct association with hypercementosis.