Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the structure of the human jaw bone. Many human mandible alveolar bones were used in this study. Decalcified sections and ground sections of these materials were examined with light microscope.
Especially, microradiography, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope were used to examine the same region of the same ground section.
In the Haversian system or the various regions of the same Haversian system, different properties appeared by light transmission, Xray absorption and staining of the decalcified section.
There was an intimate correlation between the light transmission and X-ray absorption of the bone tissue; in general in the regions where the light transmission was high the X-ray absorption was low and the degree of calcification was high.
In these highly calcified regions there were dense crystals and usually these could be etched easily by the acid.
In the highly calcified regions, crystals were always deposited densely in the inter-collagen fibril area, the inter-fibril bundle area and the inter-collagen fiber area. The lacunae and canaliculi of these areas sometimes showed a tendency of narrowing or obstruction due to the crystals.
