Читать книгу Applied Oral Physiology - Robin Wilding - Страница 45

The periodontal ligament is the connective tissue which lies between the roots of teeth and the lamina dura of the alveolar bone. The periodontal ligament is continuous with the lamina propria of the attached gingiva at the coronal end of the tooth and continuous with the pulp tissue at the root apex. It is thus vulnerable to the spread of infections from two sources. Firstly, from the gingiva and secondly from the root apex of a tooth if the dental pulp is infected. The periodontal ligament is about 0.2-mm wide, but this varies between individuals and areas of the root. It is wider in people who habitually place greater stresses on the teeth. The periodontal ligament consists predominantly of fibers. The fibers are surrounded by the extracellular matrix, in which cells, blood vessels, and nerve fibers are found. Some elements of the ligament have a rapid rate of turnover.