Orthodontic Treatment in Idiopathic Root Resorption: A Narrative Review and a Clinical Case Report

Idiopathic root resorption is diagnosed when external root resorption occurs in the absence of an identifiable etiological factor. Two main forms are described in the literature: apical and cervical. Owing to the rarity of this condition and the limited number of published reports, evidence-based recommendations for orthodontic management are currently lacking. The aim of this study was to provide a narrative overview of published case reports describing orthodontic procedures performed in patients with idiopathic root resorption and to supplement the available literature with a detailed clinical case. A case of a 7-year-7-month-old female patient presenting with generalized idiopathic root resorption and a concomitant skeletal Class III malocclusion is described. In this patient, skeletal anchorage was used to support maxillary protraction in an attempt to obtain an orthopedic effect. The literature review had a narrative character and was based on a structured search of the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases covering the period from January 2010 to December 2025. Only English-language case reports meeting strict eligibility criteria were considered. Of 47 records initially identified, two fulfilled the inclusion criteria; an additional two case reports were retrieved through manual searching. Conclusions: Given that the available evidence is limited to isolated case reports and a single clinical observation, the present findings do not allow for reliable conclusions regarding the safety, effectiveness, or general applicability of orthodontic treatment in patients with idiopathic root resorption. Clinical management should therefore be individualized, with careful documentation and close radiological follow-up. Further well-documented clinical reports are required to better characterize treatment-related risks in this patient group.