The benefit of orthodontic correction for a single tooth with infraocclusion is primarily to:

 # The benefit of orthodontic correction for a single tooth with infraocclusion is primarily to:

A. Improve the patient's vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO)

B. Eliminate the need for prosthetic replacement of the tooth

C. Reduce the risk of periodontal bone loss on the adjacent teeth

D. Prevent future TMJ derangement and pain

The correct answer is C. Reduce the risk of periodontal bone loss on the adjacent teeth.

Uncorrected infraocclusion (often from ankylosis) causes compensatory tipping and overeruption of adjacent teeth (e.g., first permanent molar mesially tilting into the space), leading to eccentric occlusal loading, plaque stagnation in tilted contacts, and progressive alveolar bone resorption on those neighbors—up to 1–2 mm loss over 1–2 years if severe. Orthodontic intervention restores occlusal plane integrity, preventing this cascade: studies show it minimizes adjacent tipping by 70–90%, preserving arch length, symmetry, and periodontal health (e.g., stable probing depths <3 mm post-correction vs. 4–5 mm in untreated cases). While preserving the tooth itself (B) is a key goal (avoiding extraction/prosthetics in ~80% of cases), the lit prioritizes averting downstream periodontal/orthodontic sequelae to adjacents as the overriding rationale for early correction, especially in mixed dentition to safeguard permanent successors.

VDO tweaks (A) are minimal/secondary, and TMJ links (D) are unsubstantiated.