Partially comprising compact bone, it is penetrated by many small openings for blood vessels and connective fibres.

[10] The connected, supporting area of the jaw (delineated by the apexes of the roots of the teeth) is known as the basal bone.

[11] On the maxilla, the alveolar process is a ridge on the inferior surface, making up the thickest part of the bone.

The alveolar process proper encases the tooth sockets, and contains a lining of compact bone around the roots of the teeth, called the lamina dura.

Sharpey's fibres in alveolar bone proper are inserted at a right angle (just as with the cemental surface); they are fewer in number, but thicker in diameter than those found in cementum.

[15] The alveolar structure is a dynamic tissue which provides the jawbone with some degree of flexibility and resilience for the embedded teeth as they encounter numerous multi-directional forces.

[18] The remaining alveolar bone (33%) is organic material, consisting of 28% collagen (mostly type I) and 5% non-collagenous protein.

In patients with periodontal disease, inflammation lasts longer and during the repair phase, resorption may override any bone formation.

[21] Another model states that cytokinesis may inhibit the differentiation of osteoblasts from their precursors, therefore limiting bone formation.

Proper development is impossible because the alveolar unit of each dental arch must form in response to the tooth germs in the area.

In addition, the differences in alveolar process density determine the easiest and most convenient areas of bony fracture to be used, if needed during tooth extraction of impacted teeth.

[24] Alveolar bone grafting can also bring about the following benefits: stabilisation of the maxillary arch; aid of eruption of the canine and sometimes lateral incisor eruption; offering bony support to the teeth lying next to the cleft; elevate the alar base of the nose; aid sealing of oro-nasal fistula; permit insertion of a titanium fixture in the grafted region and achieve good periodontal conditions within and next to the cleft.

[25] The timing of the alveolar bone grafting takes into consideration both eruption of the canine and lateral incisor.

[26] It can be found growing on the alveolar ridge of newborns, presenting as non-ulcerated, pedunculated, reddish pink masses of varying sizes and numbers.

[29][34] Dental implants are a way to replace missing teeth, as they consist of a titanium surgical component that is placed in the alveolar ridge of the jawbone.

[36] These factors can include resorption of the bone after tooth removal (affecting the quality and quantity of the bone), the presence of periodontal disease, the age and gender of the patient, smoking habits, the presence of other systemic diseases, and oral hygiene habits.

Examples of alveolar consonants in English are, for instance, [t], [d], [s], [z], [n], [l] like in the words tight, dawn, silly, zoo, nasty and lurid.

Other than a maxillar bridge made of gold, part of a mandible with teeth—which had been burned and broken around the alveolar process—was the only physical evidence used to confirm Adolf Hitler's death in 1945.

[46][47][48] Additionally, according to a purported Soviet autopsy report, the alveolar process was missing from the charred maxilla of the body presumed to belong to Eva Braun.