Alveolar Process

Dr. Kanza Nawadat

BDS, M.Sc
INTRODUCTION
• The periodontium is defined as the tissues supporting and investing the tooth.

• Consists of:
 Cementum.
 PDL.
 Bone lining the
alveolus.
 Part of the gingiva
facing the tooth.
ALVEOLAR BONE
• Bone is a mineralized connective tissue, in the jaws it is specifically called alveolar
bone.

• The part of the maxilla or mandible that supports and protects the teeth is known as
alveolar bone.
Composition by Dry weight (After
removing water)
Composition
1. 28% Type I collagen.

2. 5% Non-collagenous matrix proteins:

• Bone sialoprotein
• Osteocalcin
• Osteonectin
• Osteopontin
• Proteoglycans
• Growth factors
• Serum proteins

3. 67% hydroxyapatite (Ca10[PO4]6[OH]2):

• The mineral is in the form of small plates, most of which lodge in the holes and pores of
collagen fibrils.
• The mineral is in the form of needle-like crystallites or thin plates about 50 nm wide, up to 8
nm thick and of variable length.
Organic Matrix
• Collagen:
• 90 % of the org. matrix is collagen, dominantly type I, with small amounts of type III and V.
• Collagen contributes in terms of resisting loads and gives resilience against fractures.

• Non collagenous proteins:

• Remaining 10 % are about 200 non collagenous proteins.
Mineral deposition within the staggered
collagen fibre structure
CLASSIFICATION OF BONE
• Histologically:
(What is looks like under a
microscope?)

• mature bone may be categorized

as;
1. Compact / cortical: Dense, solid
mass of bone.

1. Cancellous/ spongy / trabecular:

Lattice arrangement of the
individual bony trabeculae that
surround soft tissue.
Gross Bone Histology
Gross Bone Histology
• Compact bone lines the tooth socket and gives attachment to PDL. Externally, on the
buccal/labial and lingual/palatal surfaces, are thicker layers of compact bone,
forming the external and internal alveolar plates.

• Between these plates of compact bone are variable amounts of spongy bone,
depending on site.

• This combination of compact and cancellous bone aims for maximum strength at
minimum weight.
CROSS SECTION THROUGH A TOOTH
AND ALVEOLAR BONE.

Cancellous/ spongy /
trabecular bone

Compact /
cortical bone
Cribriform Plate
• The compact layer of bone lining the tooth socket has been
given various names:

• It has been referred to as the cribriform plate, reflecting the

sieve-like appearance produced by the numerous vascular
canals (Volkmann’s canals) passing from the alveolar bone into
the periodontal ligament.

• It has also been called Bundle Bone because numerous bundles

of Sharpey’s fibres pass into it from the periodontal ligament.

• In clinical radiographs, the bone lining the alveolus commonly

appears as a dense white line and is given the name lamina
dura
Lamina Dura
Gross Morphology

interdental septum

Cribriform plate lining the socket

wall
Inner alveolar plate

Interradicular septum

outer alveolar plate

ALVEOLAR PROCESS
• Bone of jaw containing sockets (alveoli) for the teeth.
• Consists of:
• Outer (buccal and lingual ) cortical plate
• Central spongiosa.
• Bone lining the alveolus (alveolar bone).

• Alveolar crest
• Cortical plate and alveolar bone meet at alveolar
crest.
• 1.5 to 2 mm below the level of CEJ on the tooth.
Alveolar bone:
• comprises of inner & outer compartment.

• perforated by foramina which transmit

vessels and nerves. (cribriform plate)

• Radiographically: it is called lamina dura

due to increased radiopacity.

• The increased radiopacity is due to

presence of thick bone without
trabeculation.
Bundle bone:
• Bone directly lining the socket
(inner aspect of alveolar bone)

• Extrinsic collagen fibre bundles

of PDL are embedded within
this bone.

• It provides attachment for PDL

fibre bundles that insert into it.
Cortical plate:
• Consists of surface layer of lamellar bone supported by
compact haversian system bone of variable thickness.

• Cortical plate: thinner in maxilla.

• Thickest: buccal aspect of mandibular premolar and molars.

Trabeculae / Spongy bone:
• Occupy central part of alveolar process

• Yellow marrow (can be red, hematopoietic), rich in adipose

cells fills in intertrabecular spaces.

• Absent in the region of anterior teeth in that case the

cortical plate and alveolar bone are fused together.
Further Reading
• Ten Cate’s oral histology.
• Oral anatomy, histology and embryology by Berkovitz.
• Master dentistry.