External Cervical Resorption: A New Oral Manifestation of Systemic Sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex, chronic, and progressive autoimmune disease. SSc causes bone resorption of mandible and distal phalanges of fingers through a known mechanism, and it has also been pointed out as a possible cause of apical root resorption of teeth, because tooth resorption is regulated by similar mechanisms to those controlling bone resorption. The objective of this article was to report the first case in the literature of external cervical resorption (ECR) as an oral manifestation of SSc. A 66-year-old female patient with a 35-year history of SSc was diagnosed with multiple ECRs through a computerized axial tomography and clinical examination. All known causes of ECR were discarded after a detailed anamnesis and clinical examination. This report details SSc as a possible cause of ECR and discusses the pathogenesis of ECR in relation with SSc. The systemic alterations provoked by SSc can be related to the etiopathogenesis of cervical root resorption. It is extremely relevant that dental care providers be aware that external cervical resorptions could be present in patients suffering from SSc, consciously look for these lesions, treat them early in case they are present, and advise the patient with SSc of the importance of continuous dental controls.