External cervical resorption‐part 1: histopathology, distribution and presentation

External cervical resorption ( ECR ) is the loss of dental hard tissue as a result of odontoclastic action. It is a dynamic process that involves periodontal, dental and in later stages pulpal tissues. Over the last two decades, ECR has attracted increased interest; this is in part due to novel micro‐ CT and histopathological techniques for its assessment and also improved radiographic detection using CBCT . This literature review will cover the aetiology, potential predisposing factors, histopathology and diagnosis of ECR . Part 2 will cover the management of ECR .