Abstract Background Understanding of viscoelastic behaviour of a periodontal membrane under physiological conditions is important for many orthodontic problems. A new analytic model of a nearly incompressible viscoelastic periodontal ligament is suggested, employing symmetrical paraboloids to describe its internal and external surfaces. Methods In the model, a tooth root is assumed to be a rigid body, with perfect bonding between its external surface and an internal surface of the ligament. An assumption of almost incompressible material is used to formulate kinematic relationships for a periodontal ligament; a viscoelastic constitutive equation with a fractional exponential kernel is suggested for its description. Results Translational and rotational equations of motion are derived for ligament’s points and special cases of translational displacements of the tooth root are analysed. Material parameters of the fractional viscoelastic function are assessed on the basis of experimental data for response of the periodontal ligament to tooth translation. A character of distribution of hydrostatic stresses in the ligament caused by vertical and horizontal translations of the tooth root is defined. Conclusions The proposed model allows generalization of the known analytical models of the viscoelastic periodontal ligament by introduction of instantaneous and relaxed elastic moduli, as well as the fractional parameter. The latter makes it possible to take into account different behaviours of the periodontal tissue under short- and long-term loads. The obtained results can be used to determine loads required for orthodontic tooth movements corresponding to optimal stresses, as well as to simulate bone remodelling on the basis of changes in stresses and strains in the periodontal ligament caused by such movements.