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Bodily Tooth Movement Difficulty — NDEB AFK MCQ

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ModerateOrthodonticsBodily Tooth Movement DifficultyNDEB AFK

Which of the following types of tooth movement is the most difficult to achieve orthodontically?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: E — Bodily (translation) movement

Bodily movement (translation) — where the entire tooth (crown and root) moves in the same direction by an equal amount — is the most difficult orthodontic movement to achieve. It requires a force couple (equal and opposite forces creating a moment) applied at the correct ratio to produce pure translation without tipping. Tipping is the easiest movement (single force). The moment-to-force ratio for bodily movement is approximately 10:1 (depending on tooth geometry).

Reference: Proffit – Contemporary Orthodontics, 6th ed., 2019