Perio Edition Episode 13
[Andrew Johnston, RDH]
Welcome back, everyone. You are listening to another episode of Fast Facts- Perio Edition brought to you by A Tale of Two Hygienists in partnership with DentistRX. And now, please welcome your host, Katrina Sanders.
[Katrina Sanders, RDH]
Today's episode, we are continuing the conversation around oral anatomy and in specific today, we're going to be talking about connective tissue. Now, one thing to know is that in science, sometimes we have 27 different names, all referring to the same thing and in today's episode, while we are talking about connective tissue, know that on occasion science can also call connective tissue Lamina Propria. Lamina Propria or connective tissue in the oral cavity is very important because it's vascular and it has nerve tissue. Within our connective tissue itself we have fibroblasts. Fibroblasts are incredibly important because they are the ones that produce collagen and elastic fibers. It really is the fibroblasts that builds that collagen that gives connective tissue its strength. We also have cells like our immuno-component cells of mast cells, macrophages, histiocytes, plasma cells and lymphocytes.
Now the main component of our connective tissue, as with all connective tissue, is going to be our collagen fibers and there are many different types of collagen fibers that are available in the oral cavity. Remember, collagen is a protein comprised of amino acids and the most common types of collagen that we see in the oral cavity are your type one, which comprises about 95 percent of the collagen we see in the oral cavity and type three, which comprises about five percent of our gingival connective tissues.
Type one collagen fibers give gingiva that firmness and that resilience that we're looking for from a protective standpoint. Lamina propria, of course, provides that mechanical support and delivers nutrients to our epithelium. The remaining type of our connective tissue is what comprises our ground substance and this is where, of course, we have the comprised proteins and our nerve endings and our blood vessels that are going to protect our periodontium. This ground substance also allows for the transportation of water and nutrients through the tissue.
It truly is these two types of connective tissue that allow for a strong support structure of our periodontium but we also know that connective tissue attachment is important as well. Next week's episode will look at important collagen fibers, particularly those we know as the fabulous periodontal ligament and the ways in which these connective tissue fibers provide incredible amounts of support of the tooth structure and the root itself to the underlying bone.
This has been another episode of Fast Facts - Perio Edition with Katrina Sanders, RDH. Please feel free to reach me on Instagram @thedentalwinegenist or on my website www.KatrinaSanders.com Cheers.
[Andrew Johnston, RDH]
Thank you for listening to another episode of Fast Facts - Perio Edition, brought to you in part by DentistRX makers of the InteliSonic line of power brushes. Find out more by visiting their website at www.dentistrx.com. We'll see you next week for another Fast Fact!
