Final answer:
The structural joint found in skull joints, teeth in sockets, and the distal joint between the tibia and fibula is a fibrous joint, which includes sutures, syndesmoses, and gomphoses, depending on the specific location and function of the joint.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of structural joint found in skull joints, teeth in sockets, and the distal joint between the tibia and fibula is classified as a fibrous joint. There are three types of fibrous joints relevant to these examples:
- Sutures are fibrous joints found only in the skull where short fibers of connective tissue hold the skull bones tightly in place.
- Syndesmoses are joints where the bones are connected by a band of connective tissue that allows for more movement than in a suture, such as the joint between the tibia and fibula at the ankle.
- Gomphoses are specialized fibrous joints that anchor a tooth to its socket in the jaw, connected by the periodontal ligament.
These joints are characterized by the absence of a joint cavity and are held together by fibrous connective tissue, allowing for no movement or only minor movements.