Periodontal ligament
Periodontal ligament
The periodontal ligament, commonly
abbreviated as the PDL, is a group of
specialized connective tissue fibers that
essentially attach a tooth to the alveolar
bone within which it sits. These fibers help the
tooth withstand the naturally
substantial compressive forces which occur
during chewing and remain embedded in the
bone.
Functions of PDL are supportive, sensory,
nutritive, homeostatic and eruptive.
Structure of the PDL
It consist of cells, extracellular compartment of
fibers. The cells are fibroblast, epithelial,
undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, bone and
cementum cells. The extracellular
compartment consists of collagen fibers
bundles embedded in ground substance. The
PDL substance has been estimated to be 70%
water and is thought to have a significant
effect on the tooth's ability to withstand stress
loads.
Types of fibers
A)The PDL collogen fibers are categorized
according to their orientation and location
along the tooth. They are:
Alveolar crest fibers
Alveolar crest fibers attach to the cementum
just apical to the cementoenamel junction, run
downward, and insert into the alveolar bone.
Horizontal fibers
Horizontal fibers attach to the cementum
apical to the alveolar crest fibers and run
perpendicularly from the root of the tooth to
the alveolar bone.
Oblique fibers
Oblique fibers are the most numerous fibers in
the periodontal ligament, running from
cementum in an oblique direction to insert into
bone coronally.
Apical fibers
radiating from cementum around the apex of
the root to the bone, forming base of the
socket
Interradicular fibers
Interradicular fibers are only found between
the roots of multi-rooted teeth, such as molars.
They also attach from the cementum and
insert to the nearby alveolar bone.
B)Elastic fibrils: 1- Oxylatan
2-Elumine 3-Elastine
B. ORIGIN AND
DEVELOPMENT
The periodontal ligament is derived
embryologically from the ectomesenchymal
tissue of the dental follicle that surrounds the
developing tooth in its bony crypt. At the time
of tooth eruption the cells and collagen fibers
in the dental follicle, i.e. the future periodontal
ligament, are orientated primarily with their
long axis parallel to the root surface.
remodeling of the follicle into a periodontal
ligament begins at the cemento-enamel
junction and proceeds in an apical direction.
cementum.