TYPES OF FIBERS IN THE

PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT
PRESENTED BY:

GUIDED BY:

NAUSHEER PAGARKAR
II MDS

DR. SUREKHA BHEDASGAONKAR

PROF&HOD

DEPT. OF PERIODONTICS DEPT. OF PERIODONTICS

CONTENTS
TYPES OF FIBERS
ARRANGEMENT OF THE PERIODONTAL COLLAGEN

FIBERS
FIBER ARRANGEMENT IN TEETH OF LIMITED GROWTH
FIBER ARRANGEMENT IN CONTINOUSLY GROWING TEETH

FUNCTIONAL ADAPTATIONS OF THE COLLAGEN FIBERS

OF THE PDL
COLLAGEN CRIMPING
SHARPEYS FIBERS

ARRANGEMENT AND FUNCTIONAL ADAPTATIONS OF

THE ELASTIC FIBERS OF THE PDL

AGING OF THE FIBERS OF THE PDL

COLLAGEN FIBERS
Collagen of the PDL is mostly type I, with lesser

amounts of type III, IV, V, VI, XII also present

I, III and V are banded collagens with
characteristic periodicity of 67nm due to the
staggered arrangement of molecules in the fibril
Collagen is divided into 2 main groups
Fibril collagens(I,III,V)
FACIT (fibril associated collages with interrupted

triple helices)
FACIT collagens link the fibrillar collagen types

and organize the extracellular matrix

Collagen fibril diameters of the PDL are

relatively small with mean diameter of 4555nm, in other CT such as tendon the diameter
increases.
Studies correlate increase in diameter with
maturation in CT, however due to the high
turnover of the PDL collagen, the diameter of
fibrils in the PDL is small

ELASTIC FIBER NETWORK

ELASTIC FIBERS
In many CTs, the collagen fibers are closely

associated with an elastic meshwork, either as

a static elastic element or as a resilient
material
3 components of the elastic system are
recognised
Oxytalan
Elaunin
Elastin

Oxytalan fibers form a 3D network that

extends from the cementum to the peripheral

periodontal blood vessels
Occupy 3% of the PDL
In TEM, they appear similar to developing
elastin fibers and are composed of groups of
microfilaments embedded within amorphous
material
Similarities between microfibrils of oxytalan
fibers and developing elastin fibers have led to
conclusion that they are precursors of the
elastin fibers

There is also a similarity between the

ultrastructure of oxytalan microfibrils and fibrils

of fibronectin, oxytalan is stained strongly by
IHC stains for fibronectin
Oxtyalan fibers regulate vascular flow
It has been suggested that oxytalan fibers
might play a role in fibroblast migration in the
PDL
Elastin fibers are composed of a microfibrillar
glycoprotein and amorphous elastin, which is a
proteinaceous rubber
Elementary units are rod-like in shape

ARRANGEMENT OF PDL FIBERS

Black in 1887 described groups of principle fiber

bundles arranged into gingival, crestal,

horizontal,oblique and apical groups
Principal fiber bundles appear to branch into smaller
bundles within ligament to form a continuous plexiform
arrangement
Precise arrangement is debated, even though the
majority of collagen fibers in PDL appear to be grouped
together to form bundles
However the apparent disposition of fiber bundles has
varied as per histological preparation
For example, the collagen fibers of the PDL appear as a
random indifferent fiber plexus when ground sections
are examined under the SEM, however these cannot be
correlated with either light microscopy or TEM

Hence now it is accepted that the indifferent

fiber plexus is an artifact produced by

histologic processing
Correlation between LM, SEM,TEM is possible
only in demineralized sections.
Human PDL appears to be a continuous band of
fibrous tissue 100-150 m in width.
Majority of collagen fibrils appear as bundles in
both T.S and L.S, and SEM views suggest they
pursue a wavy course.
Fibroblasts with extensive flattened
cytoplasmic processes are present between
bundles, intimate association between fibrils
and cytoplasmic extensions of fibroblasts, thus
facilitates remodeling by intracytoplasmic
degradation.

Close to cementum the fiber bundles are 3-

10m, while close to the bone they are 1012m in diameter

Complex relationships between the networks
of bundles may be investigated using
polarising microscopy.
In T.S, birefringence of collagen suggests that

predominance of radiating circumflex fibers that

curve around neurovascular bundles
In L.S overlapping networks of anastomosing
bundles are evident within the horizontal, apical,
and oblique groups

Other authors (Kardos and Simpson, 1979)

suggest that the PDL behaves like a thixotropic

gel.
The theory proposes that till aging occurs only
transseptal fibers of the gingiva are
polymerized and remainder persist as a gel.
Application of force to such a system would
cause change from gel to sol resulting in flow.
This theory is not accepted today, because then
the fibers seen in histological specimens must
be considered as artefacts and in a later study
by Mashouf and Engel(1975), highly organized
birefringent collagen fibers were found in rat
PDL in fresh unmineralized sections

L.M and SEM studies have shown that PDL of

mature teeth of limited growth is organized into

3 zones during development and eruption
However by the time functional occlusion is
reached, the collagen fibers are organized as
continuous bundles that insert into the alveolar
bone and cementum as Sharpeys fibers

FIBER ARRANGEMENT IN
CONTINUOUSLY GROWING TEETH
Arranged into 3 zones
Alveolar
Middle
Cemental

Earlier it was accepted that the fibers of the middle

zone were spliced to form an intermediate plexus,

and that this arrangement facilitated remodelling
of the PDL during tooth eruption
Now it has been regarded as artefact of processing
because it forms a continuous branching network
of fiber bundles in T.S rather than a plexus

Sloan et al in 1978 proposed a 3D structure of

the PDL
Collagen fibers in inner and outer bundles are
organised into round bundles
Alveolar zone bundles are larger than cemental
zone bundles, these are arranged radially
In the middle zone, collagen fibrils are
arranged into thin sheets that form a series of
flattened compartments running along long
axis
LM studies show that 3 fibrous zones are
evident only in L.S, similarly in SEM L.S studies,
homogenous appearance of middle zone is due
to sheets of collagen lying in the section plane
( in T.S they are appear as bundles)

Using polarizing microscopy, Hindle (1967)

determined that the collagen fibers in the

middle zone were less mature than alveolar and
cemental zones
In T.S, middle zone collagen appears as a
network of birefringent bundles, while in L.S
only patchy birefringence is seen.
This is explained by the spatial distribution of
collagen fibers of the middle zone if arranged
into sheets because highly oriented collagen
fibers would only produce measurable
birefringence if transversely sectioned.
An L.S would include several sheets or parts of
sheets of varying orientation, thus producing
patchy birefringence

FUNCTIONAL ADAPTATIONS OF
THE COLLAGEN FIBERS
Minns (1973) showed that internal orientation of

collagen fibers in the C.T influences mechanical

properties of the tissue, and that collagenous
bundles could best resist axial forces
The arrangement of the majority of the PDL collagen
fiber groups into horizontal and obliquely directed
groups is thus adapted to resist such axial forces
The overlapping arrangement of the bundle
networks seen in SEM could also be of importance in
resisting rotational forces
This complex 3D arrangement means that some
bundles would always be placed in tension
irrespective of direction of force

Thus the PDL is able to resist the compressive

forces

Tension

When subjected to rotational and intrusive

forces, some fiber groups will be in tension

Compression

COLLAGEN CRIMPING
Collagenous tissues

exhibit a quantifiable
periodicity of structure on
a variable scale; this has
been described as a crimp.
In the polarizing
microscope, crimping can
be recognized by a regular
banding of dark lines
across a collagenous
bundle when its axis lies
perpendicular to the
polarizer.

Some authors say that the crimping might also

be due to the microanatomical arrangement of

the collagenous sheets and bundles in addition
to the zigzag arrangement of collagen fibrils
Viidik (1980) suggested that the waveform is
sinusoidal and unlikely to be present in vivo.
However TEM,SEM and polarizing microscope
studies show that there is indeed a crimped
arrangement.
Crimping confers certain mechanical properties
on the PDL.
Straightening out of the crimp enables the
ligament to absorb impact tensile loads without
extending collagen fibrils and without
generating heat( Trelstad & Silver,1981)

It has been suggested that the fibroblast

processes in developing collagenous tissues

plays a role in the crimped arrangement.
Hence it may be an important feature in tooth
eruption

SHARPEYS FIBERS
At the insertions, collagen bundles of the PDL

are embedded into cementum and alveolar

bone in a manner similar to tendon inserting
into bone i.e. in the form of Sharpeys fibers.
Orientation in alveolar bone is similar to
adjacent PDL bundles, however it is different
in the cementum.
2 types of Sharpeys fibers exist
Intrinsic
Extrinsic

 Dreyfuss & Frank reported that most of the

Sharpeys fibers that insert into alveolar bone
have unmineralized cores, and are separated from
each other by lamellar bone fibers
IHC studies show that Sharpeys fibers are
enclosed within a sheath of collagen type III, this
collagen confers elasticity on the fibers and also
prevents mineralization

Where the fibers insert obliquely, the bone

surface exhibits a stepped appearance

mineralization occurs at right angles to axis of
the fiber.
Mineralized periphery of fibers mech
advantage for axial forces while mineralization
at right angles to fibers suggests that
Sharpeys fibers are subjected to tensional
forces
Maximum strength to the mineral-collagen
interface which is weakest part of fiber bundle

ARRANGEMENT AND FUNCTIONAL

ADAPTATIONS OF ELASTIC FIBERS
Elastin fibers dampen lateral masticatory stresses, also

in this case the low modulus and long range reversible

extensibility of elastin is more important than resilience.
However studies previously reported that only oxytalan
is present in the PDL of humans, it has a specific role in
stabilizing the tooth in certain functional situations.
Oxytalan and collagen bundles of the PDL appear to
interweave at right angles to each other in a manner
similar to the elastic ligaments.
Later on studies proved that oxytalan fibers can act in
the same way as elastin fibers as they are straightened
during forced extrusion

Thus there must be an attachment of oxytalan

fibers directly to collagen or indirectly to the

blood vessels
This has been proven in human premolar
teeth, in which the largest apico-occlusal
oxytalan fibers are linked to laterally
anastamosing minor fibers that in turn insert
into cementum and CT around
neurovasculature

AGING OF THE PERIODONTAL

FIBERS
Qualitative studies of aged PDL show
Decreased cellularity
Increased collagen fibrosis
Fiber groups appear to be broader and more highly

organized
Fiber bundles appear thicker
Sporadic mineralization of fibers was also seen
Other studies(Grant 1973) reported apparent

decrease in number of PDL fibers in human post

mortem tissues and aged primates.
Increased size of interstitial spaces also noticed
Decreased collagen content decreased

cellularity+multinucleated fibroblasts

Severson et al (1978) found that alveolar bone in

older adults was jagged and uneven and an

irregular insertion of fibers was seen.
Also cementum was thicker and cemental
surface was irregular.
Thus irregularity of fiber insertions, replacement
of interstitial tissues with fat cells suggests that
structural organization of PD degenerates with
age.
However many of the age related changes are

also noticed during the early stages of

periodontal disease, hence more studies are
required to know more about the same

REFERENCES
The Periodontal Ligament in Health and

Disease, Berkowitz
Clinical Periodontology, 10th edition, Carranza.
Clinical Periodontology and Implant Dentistry,
4th edition, Lindhe.