‫‪Periodontal ligament‬‬

‫)‪(PDL‬‬
‫المحاظرة ‪ /8‬النظري‬
‫قسم طب االسنان ‪ /‬أنسجة الفم‬

‫د‪.‬محمد حسن الهماشي‬

• The PDL is a fibrous connective tissue located between aleveolar bone and
cementum.
• It is composed of cells and intercellular substance which consist of
collagene fibers and ground substances (protien and polysaccharides).
• It is thinnest in the midroot area and decrease slightly in thickness with
age.
Cellular composition of PDL
Cells of PDL may be divided into three categories:
1- synthetic cells:
they have the ability to produce and secret proteins, they include:
a. Fibroblasts:
• Are the most common cells in PDL (65%) of total PDL cells.
• They are responsible for the formation of ground substance and
collagen fibers of PDL.
b. Osteoblasts:
• They are bone forming cells.
• They are covering the periodontal surface of the aleveolar bone.
c. Cementoblasts:
• Cementum forming cells.
• They are found covering the periodontal surface of the cementum
2- Resorptive cells:
a. Fibroblasts:
• They are capable of both synthesis and ingestion of PDL collagen fibers.
b. Osteoclasts:
• These cells resorb bone surface.
• Their presence on bone surface indicates that resorption was active or had recently
occurred.
c. Cementoclasts:
• They are resemble osteoclasts.
3- Other cells:
a. Progenitor cells:
• They are undifferentiated mesenchymal cells that have the capacity to undergo
mitotic division and differentiate into another type of PDL cells.
b. Epithelial cell rest of Malassez:
• These are the remnants of HERS found close to C.
• Under certain pathological conditions they can under rapid proliferation and produce
a variety of cysts or tumors.
c. Defense cells:
• These include mast cells, macrophage cells and neutrophils cells, they increase in no.
during PDL inflammation.
Blood vessels of PDL:
1. Branches from the apical vessels that supply the dental pulp.
2. Branches from the intra-alveolar vessels, these are the main branches run horizontally
penetrate the alveolar bone to enter the PDL, they are called perforated arteries.
3. Branches from the gingival vessels that enter the PDL from the gingiva.
Nerves :
The nerve supply from the maxillary and mandibular branches of the 5 th cranial nerve
(trigeminal).
Fibers of PDL:
These are made up of collagen fibers and
oxytalan fibers.
1- collagen fibers:
They form the major element with in PDL &
they include:
A. Principle fibers of PDL.
B. Gingival fibers groups.
A. Principle fibers of PDL:
• One end embedded in C. and the other end embedded in alveolar
bone.
• The embedded portion of the principle fibers are called sharpeyʼs fibers.
• These fibers can be divided into 5 groups according to the direction in
which they run in the PDL as follow:
1. Alevolar crest fibers group: they are attached to cervical part of the C.
just below C.E.J. and insert into the crest of alveolar bone.
2. Horizontal fibers group: they extend in horizontal direction from the
midroot C. to the adjacent alveolar bone.
3. Oblique fibers group: they represent the most numerous type in PDL
and run from the C. in an oblique direction to insert in alveolar bone.
4. Apical fibers group: they extend from apical C. to the adjacent alveolar
bone.
5. Interradicular fibers group: they are located between the roots of
multirooted teeth and extend perpendicular from the C. into the crest
of interradicular septa.
B.gingival fiber groups:
• These are collagen fibers which are not really from PDL.
• Their function is to attach the gingiva to the tooth.
• These bundles are arranged in groups as follows:
1. Dentogingival group: they are the most numerous, extending
from the cervical C. to the gingiva.
2. Alevologingival group: they radiate from the alveolar crest
bone to the gingiva.
3. Circular group: this small group of fibers form aband around
the neck of teeth.
4. Dentoperiosteal group: they run from the cervical C. to the
periosteum of the alveolar bone.
5. Transseptal group: these fibers are connect two adjacent
teeth, they run from the C. of one tooth over the alveolar
bone to the C. of the adjacent tooth.
2- Oxytalan fibers:
• they run vertically from apical C. and terminate in the arteries, veins
and lymphatic.
• Their function is to regulate vascular flow in relation to tooth
function.
Functions of PDL:
1. Supportive: they provide attachment for the tooth to the jaw bone.
2. Sensory: they have mechanoreceptors contribute to the pressure
and touch on the tooth.
3. Nutritive: the blood vessels in PDL provides nutritional supply to
the cementocytes in C. and to the most superficial alveolar bone
osteocytes.
4. Formative: the fibroblasts are responsible for new collagen fiber
formation, another formative function is achieved by cementoblast
and osteoblast which are essential in building up C. and alveolar
bone.