Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 8, 2025

Induction of Periodontitis via a Combination of Ligature and Lipopolysaccharide Injection in a Rat Model
Published on: February 17, 2023
Association between periodontitis and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament: a case report
Michiyo Tsuru1,2, Takayoshi Oosio3, Teruyo Higashi4
1Clinical Proteomics and Gene Therapy Laboratory, Kurume University, Fukuoka, Japan. tsuru@i-m-center.jp.
Introduction:
Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in the spinal ligament compresses the spinal cord, causing various spinal nerve diseases. The ligament tissue is an important connective tissue in the joints, teeth, and spine, which, when torn and damaged, reduces the range of movement.
Case Presentation:
We report the treatment of periapical periodontitis and tooth preservation in a 41-year-old Japanese woman previously diagnosed with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. She presented with widespread pain from the paranasal sinuses to the head caused by the onset of periapical periodontitis of the upper front tooth.
Discussion:
The patient received an oral zinc supplement, which resolved periapical periodontitis over a 2-year follow-up period.
Conclusion:
The findings from this case imply that, when patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament develop periapical periodontitis, they should be tested for zinc deficiency.
Related Concept Videos
Structural Joints: Fibrous Joints
Suture
All the bones of the skull, except for the mandible, are joined to each other by a fibrous joint called a suture. The fibrous connective tissue found at a suture strongly unites the adjacent skull bones and thus helps to protect the brain and form the face. In...
Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into ...

