Journal of Dental Research, Vol 65, 948-951, Copyright © 1986 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
A histologic study of the width and nature of inter-radicular spaces in human adult pre-molars and molars
P. J. Heins and S. M. Wieder
Serial sections of jaw segments from a human post mortem population of 29
individuals providing 116 posterior interproximal sites were examined at
the light microscopic level. Minimum inter-root distances at the locale of
closest proximity ranged from more than 4 mm to less than 0.1 mm. They were
located in the coronal third of pre-molars and mandibular first and second
molars and the middle third of maxillary first molars and second molar
interproximal spaces. Cancellous bone flanked by lamina dura was found
between 89.6% of the teeth examined and was observed where inter-root
distances exceeded 0.5 mm. At sites of less than 0.5 mm, cancellous bone
was not observed, and, instead, adjacent laminae durae appeared fused
(7.7%). Bone was not observed between root surfaces which were less than
0.3 mm apart, but in these instances the roots were connected by a
periodontal ligament.
