Terminology and Structure
- Alveolar refers to the cavities of the tooth sockets, known as dental alveoli.
- Alveolar process is also called alveolar bone and alveolar ridge.
- The curved portion is referred to as the alveolar arch.
- Alveolar crest describes the extreme rim of the bone nearest to the crowns of the teeth.
- The portion of alveolar bone between two adjacent teeth is known as the interdental septum.
- The alveolar process is a ridge on the inferior surface of the maxilla and on the superior surface of the mandible.
- It holds the teeth and is encased by gums as part of the oral cavity.
- The alveolar process comprises cells, nerves, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and periosteum.
- The alveolar process proper encases the tooth sockets and contains a lining of compact bone called the lamina dura.
- The supporting alveolar bone consists of both cortical (compact) bone and trabecular bone.

Composition and Clinical significance
- Alveolar bone is 67% inorganic material, mainly calcium and phosphate.
- The remaining 33% is organic material, consisting of collagen (mostly type I) and non-collagenous protein.
- The cellular component of bone consists of osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts.
- Alveolar bone loss is closely associated with periodontal disease, which is inflammation of the gums.
- Resorption, carried out by osteoclasts, leads to bone loss in the alveolar process.
- Inflammation and cytokinesis may inhibit bone formation, resulting in a net loss of alveolar bone.
- Developmental disturbances such as anodontia can affect the development of the alveolar processes.
- Extraction of a tooth can cause alveolar osteitis, also known as dry socket, and loss of alveolar bone.

Pathology and Bone Grafting
- Alveolar bone loss can result in a loss of height of the lower third of the face.
- Alveolar bone density affects the route of dental infection and the efficacy of local anesthesia.
- Chronic periodontal disease can cause localised bone loss.
- The radiographic integrity of the lamina dura is important in detecting pathological lesions.
- Alveolar bone grafting is performed to reconstruct alveolar defects, particularly in cleft lip and cleft palate patients.
- Primary bone grafting is abandoned in most cleft lip and palate centers worldwide due to growth disturbances.
- The vomero-premaxillary suture technique inhibits maxillary growth.
- Secondary bone grafting stabilizes the maxillary arch and allows tooth eruption through the grafted bone.
- It enhances conditions for prosthodontic treatment and orthodontic closure of the cleft region.
- Secondary bone grafting can also augment the alar base of the nose for facial symmetry.
- Congenital epulis is a rare, benign mesenchymal tumor usually present at birth.
- It appears as pedunculated, reddish pink masses on the alveolar ridge.
- More common on the maxillary alveolar ridge and in females.
- Prenatal diagnosis is now possible at 26 weeks.
- Surgical excision is the treatment for congenital epulis.

Alveolar Ridge Preservation and Dental Implants
- Preservation of the alveolar ridge improves the success rate of dental treatments.
- Grafting materials can reduce dimensional changes after tooth extraction.
- Different materials have varying efficacy in maintaining the alveolar ridge.
- Xenograft and allogenic grafting materials surrounded by collagen membranes are ideal for horizontal preservation.
- Bio-Oss, Bio-Oss Coll, and L-PRF are reliable options for ridge augmentation.
- Dental implants replace missing teeth and require sufficient alveolar bone support.
- Factors like bone resorption, periodontal disease, and systemic diseases contribute to alveolar bone loss.
- Implant failure is more common in the front portion of the upper jaw.
- The alveolar bone in the upper jaw has thinner cortical plate and lower bone density.
- Research focuses on new techniques and biomaterials for maintaining or stimulating alveolar bone growth.

Articulation and Cultural Significance
- Alveolar consonants are made with the tongue touching or reaching for the alveolar ridge.
- Examples in English include t, d, s, z, n, l.
- Some accents, like the New York accent, pronounce [t] and [d] at the back of the top teeth.
- In many languages, consonants are articulated with the tongue touching or close to the alveolar ridge.
- Alveolar plosives (t, d) and alveolar fricatives (s, ʃ, z, ʒ) are common in many languages.
- The alveolar process was used as physical evidence to confirm Adolf Hitler's death in 1945.
- Eva Braun's autopsy report mentioned the missing alveolar process in her charred maxilla.
- The alveolar process plays a role in dental identification and forensic investigations.
- The alveolar process is located on the mandible and maxilla.
- It forms the superior area of the mandibular alveolar process.
- The maxillary alveolar process is located on the inferior surface of the maxilla.
- The alveolar processes are covered by gums in the oral cavity.
- The roots of the teeth, gums, and alveolar bone are closely related.
- There are 3D animations available that show the placement of teeth in the human skull.
- The alveolar process of archaic humans, such as Homo heidelbergensis, can be eroded.
- Erosion of the alveolar process can affect the stability of teeth.
- The erosion of the alveolar process can be caused by various factors, including periodontal disease.

Alveolar process (Wikipedia)

The alveolar process (/ælˈviːələr, ˌælviˈoʊlər, ˈælviələr/) or alveolar bone is the thickened ridge of bone that contains the tooth sockets on the jaw bones (in humans, the maxilla and the mandible). The structures are covered by gums as part of the oral cavity.

Alveolar process
Human jaws with anterior (frontal) portion of alveolar processes cut away towards right
Details
Identifiers
Latin	os alveolaris
TA98	A02.1.12.035
TA2	791
FMA	59487 52897, 59487
Anatomical terms of bone [edit on Wikidata]

The synonymous terms alveolar ridge and alveolar margin are also sometimes used more specifically to refer to the ridges on the inside of the mouth which can be felt with the tongue, either on roof of the mouth between the upper teeth and the hard palate or on the bottom of the mouth behind the lower teeth.