Читать книгу Basic Guide to Oral Health Education and Promotion - Alison Chapman - Страница 41

The periodontal ligament is a connective tissue that holds the tooth in place in the alveolar bone (assisted by cementum). The ligament is between 0.1–0.3 mm wide and contains blood vessels, nerves, cells, and collagen fibres [7].

The collagen fibres attach the tooth to the alveolar bone and run in different directions, which provide strength and flexibility, and act as a shock absorber for the tooth; teeth need to move slightly in their sockets in order to withstand the pressures of mastication (chewing). Imagine what it would feel like to bite hard with teeth rigidly cemented into bone.