Pediatric Dentistry · single question
Which cells are primarily responsible for creating the bony pathway through which a tooth erupts?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Osteoclasts (resorbing bone ahead of the erupting tooth, coordinated by dental follicle signaling)
Osteoclasts, recruited via dental follicle signaling, resorb alveolar bone to create the eruption pathway — a distinct process from primary tooth root resorption (mediated by odontoclasts), which facilitates exfoliation of the predecessor tooth.
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