Tooth loss promotes which process in the jaw bone?

• A. Bone resorption
• B. Bone formation
• C. Hypercementosis
• D. Osteopenia

Answer: (A)

When a tooth is present, the periodontal ligament sends functional signals that help maintain the surrounding alveolar bone. Removing the tooth eliminates this mechanical stimulation, so the bone responds to the reduced load by resorbing. This resorption of the alveolar bone—the jawbone portion that surrounds the tooth root—is the primary response after tooth loss, leading to shrinkage of the ridge over time.

Hypercementosis would involve excessive cementum buildup, not the loss of bone, and osteopenia refers to generally reduced bone mass, not the localized changes seen after a missing tooth. While bone formation can occur during healing, the immediate and dominant process in the jaw after tooth loss is bone resorption, driven by decreased mechanical stimulation and remodeling.