Quick Facts
The transseptal fibers are fibers of the periodontal ligament extending interproximally over the alveolar crest and embedding in the cementum of adjacent teeth; they support the interproximal gingiva and secure the adjacent tooth (Dorland, 2011).
Structure and/or Key Feature(s)
The fibers of the periodontal ligament are predominantly made from collagen and can be largely classified into 3 groups: principal fibers, accessory fibers, and oxytalan fibers. The principal fibers of the periodontal ligament are described as wavy collagen bundles. The principal fibers can be further divided into three ligaments:
—gingival fibers;
—transseptal or interdental fibers;
—alveolodental ligament (Rajendran and Selvam, 2015).
The transseptal fibers form a dense ligament between adjacent teeth, forming a continuous chain-like structure between them. The fibers form horizontal bundles that are specifically located apical to the junctional epithelium, over the alveolar crest. The fibers extend between the cement of adjacent teeth into which they are embedded (Rajendran and Selvam, 2015).
Function
Transseptal fibers are responsible for providing structural integrity to the gingival tissues and maintaining the proper relationship of teeth during mesial shift (Rajendran and Selvam, 2015).
References
Dorland, W. (2011) Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 32nd edn. Philadelphia, USA: Elsevier Saunders.
Rajendran, M. and Selvam, U. A. (2015) 'Transseptal fibers - crosslinking convolutes: A review', Int J Contemp Dent Med Rev.
