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Concept
Alveolar process
Summary
The alveolar process (ælˈviːələr,_ˌælviˈoʊlər,_ˈælviələr) or alveolar bone is the thickened ridge of bone that contains the tooth sockets on the jaw bones (in humans, the maxilla and the mandible). The structures are covered by gums as part of the oral cavity.
The synonymous terms alveolar ridge and alveolar margin are also sometimes used more specifically to refer to the ridges on the inside of the mouth which can be felt with the tongue, either on roof of the mouth between the upper teeth and the hard palate or on the bottom of the mouth behind the lower teeth.
The term alveolar (ælˈviːələr) ('hollow') refers to the cavities of the tooth sockets, known as dental alveoli. The alveolar process is also called the alveolar bone or alveolar ridge. The curved portion is referred to as the alveolar arch. The alveolar bone proper, also called bundle bone, directly surrounds the teeth. The term alveolar crest describes the extreme rim of the bone nearest to the crowns of the teeth. The portion of alveolar bone between two adjacent teeth is known as the interdental septum (or interdental bone).
The connected, supporting area of the jaw (delineated by the apexes of the roots of the teeth) is known as the basal bone.
On the maxilla, the alveolar process is a ridge on the inferior surface, making up the thickest part of the bone. On the mandible it is a ridge on the superior surface. The structures hold the teeth and are encased by gums as part of the oral cavity.
Either alveolar process comprises cells, nerves, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and periosteum.
The alveolar crest terminates uniformly at about the neck of the teeth (within about 1 to 2 mm in a healthy specimen).
The alveolar process proper encases the tooth sockets, and contains a lining of compact bone around the roots of the teeth, called the lamina dura. This is attached by the periodontal ligament (PDL) to the root cementum.
Although the alveolar process is composed of compact bone, it may be called the cribriform plate because it contains numerous holes where Volkmann's canals pass from the alveolar bone into the PDL.
Official source
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