Australian Dental Council (ADC) Practice Test 2025 – The All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

The correct answer highlights that the intensity of the blow was too low to cause pulp death, which leads to pulp calcification as a protective response. When a tooth experiences trauma, the pulp tissues can react in several ways, depending on the severity of the injury. If the impact is not severe enough to cause immediate necrosis or death of the pulp, the body interprets this as a signal to protect itself.

In response to this perceived threat, the pulp may undergo a process known as dystrophic calcification or pulp canal calcification, where the pulp tissues begin to deposit calcium within them, thereby forming calcific deposits. This process serves as a defense mechanism, helping to safeguard the remaining healthy pulp tissues from potential further injury or infection.

While other factors like bacterial infection and increased blood supply can affect pulp health, they do not directly relate to why pulp calcifies post-trauma in this context. Additionally, orthodontic treatment may exert forces on the teeth but does not typically result in calcification as a direct outcome from trauma. Therefore, understanding that the response of pulp calcification occurs primarily as a protective mechanism when trauma is insufficient to cause death is essential in comprehending the healing dynamics of dental pulp.