Sharpey's fibres

Sharpey's fibers are the periosteum belonging, consisting of collagen fibers. They are named after the anatomist William Sharpey.

They are fixed in the bone matrix, and form the connection to the cementum of the tooth. In the periosteum itself they run as collagen fibrils in tangential direction. When " spicules " they are called, when they calcify in the context of malignant processes and impress as a sunbeam similar bone threads.

In dentistry are with Sharpey fibers in the narrower sense, especially the radiating into the cementum Fibrae alveolodentales. In them the tooth is resiliently mounted. Thus, the root of the tooth is actually " hung " in the tooth socket. This tension forces the bone has grown while he would react when the pressure forces occurring without periodontal ligament with loss.

Here the Sharpey's fibers are also known as periodontal ligament or periodontal ligament. The connection between the cement of the tooth root on the one hand and the bone of the socket on the other hand is a special form of a syndesmosis.

When inflammation of the periodontium, the tissue swells in the periodontal space (gap between the tooth root and bone specialist ), and the patient has the biting sensation, " the tooth is too long ".

Swell

• Histology of connective and supporting tissue
• Tooth