Which cells are primarily responsible for remodeling the PDL during eruption?

• A. PDL fibroblasts
• B. Osteoblasts
• C. Cementoblasts
• D. Odontoblasts

Answer: (A)

Remodeling the periodontal ligament during eruption is driven mainly by the cells that reside within the ligament itself: the PDL fibroblasts. These cells continually turnover and reorganize the extracellular matrix, synthesizing collagen and other matrix components while releasing enzymes that allow controlled remodeling in response to the mechanical changes as the tooth moves. This dynamic adjustment of the PDL space and fiber orientation enables the tooth to erupt through the socket. Other cell types have important roles in their respective tissues during eruption—bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts shape the surrounding alveolar bone, cementoblasts lay down cementum on the root, and odontoblasts form dentin—but the remodeling of the PDL tissue itself is primarily carried out by PDL fibroblasts.