[Metabolism of alveolar bone].

The alveolar bone is a special tissue originating from the dental sac. This bone is constantly subjected to mechanical stress such as occlusal pressure and it responds to chronic inflammatory stimuli. Furthermore, the alveolar bone proper contains Sharpey's fibers (collagen) having a very short biological metabolic half-life of one day. In this manner, because the local environment of the alveolar bone is markedly different from that of other bones, the metabolic mechanism of the alveolar bone, and the alveolar bone proper in particular, may be different from that of other bones.