The fine structure and distribution of vessels in a small segment of human periodontal ligament and alveolar bone

Abstract

From each of six teenage orthodontic patients one healthy, functional maxillary first premolar was surgically extracted, Ieaving biopsied buccal bone and periodontal ligament attached to each root. The intact specimens were processed for viewing in the transmission electron microscope (TEM) . Horizontal serial sections l μ m thick, for viewing in the light microscope (LM), were taken from the apical through to the cervical end of each specimen. Where vessels of any type were seen in either periodontal ligament or alveolar bone, silver sections of the same area and orientation were mounted on grids and photographed in the TEM.