{"id":6075,"date":"2021-08-14T16:37:36","date_gmt":"2021-08-14T14:37:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/head-and-neck\/head\/skull\/viscerocranium-facial-skeleton\/maxilla\/"},"modified":"2021-10-20T21:25:20","modified_gmt":"2021-10-20T19:25:20","slug":"maxilla","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/skull-head-and-neck\/skull\/viscerocranium-facial-skeleton\/maxilla\/","title":{"rendered":"Maxilla"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"intro\">The maxilla is a paired bone forming the majority of the facial skeleton and the upper jaw.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"784\" height=\"601\" src=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6074\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image.jpeg 784w, https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image-300x230.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image-768x589.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 784px) 100vw, 784px\" \/><figcaption><strong>Figure 1.<\/strong> Lateral view of the right maxilla (simplified).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_1\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Description<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_1\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The maxilla (pleural: maxillae) is a paired bone that forms the majority of the facial skeleton, as well as serves as the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Floor of the orbit<\/li><li>Upper jaw and roof of the mouth<\/li><li>Inferior portion of the <strong>pyriform aperture<\/strong> (opening of the nasal cavity)<\/li><li>Lateral walls of the nasal cavity<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_2\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Parts<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_2\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each maxilla has a body and 4 processes through which it articulates with adjacent bones. The processes include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\" id=\"block-26b6287a-1ad1-4292-87fe-35dbab8c6c40\"><li><strong>Frontal process<\/strong>. A superior projection that articulates with the frontal and nasal bones.<\/li><li><strong>Zygomatic process<\/strong>. A lateral projection that articulates with the zygomatic bone.<\/li><li><strong>Alveolar process<\/strong>. A thickened, U-shaped part of the maxillae (when fused) into which the upper (maxillary) teeth anchor.<\/li><li><strong>Palatine process<\/strong>. A thick, horizontal process that forms the anterior portion of the roof of the mouth (<strong>hard palate<\/strong>). <ul><li>The palatine process of each maxilla fuses at the midline, forming the <strong>intermaxillary suture<\/strong> (also known as the <strong>median palatine suture<\/strong>).<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Posteriorly, the process serves for the articulation with the palatine bone through the <strong>transverse palatine suture<\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The body of the maxilla has a hollow, air-filled cavity known as the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/head-and-neck\/head\/nasal-cavity\/paranasal-air-sinuses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">maxillary sinus<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"pure-table\"><thead><tr><th>Direction<\/th><th>Process<\/th><th>Bone<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Medial<\/strong><\/td><td>Palatine<\/td><td>The opposite maxilla<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Posterior<\/strong><\/td><td>Palatine<\/td><td>Palatine<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Superior<\/strong><\/td><td>Frontal<\/td><td>Frontal<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Antero-medial<\/strong><\/td><td>Frontal<\/td><td>Nasal<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Lateral<\/strong><\/td><td>Zygomatic<\/td><td>Zygomatic<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Inferior<\/strong><\/td><td>Alveolar<\/td><td>Upper teeth<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption><strong>Table 1.<\/strong> The articulations of each maxillary bone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_3\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Alveolar processes<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_3\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The alveolar processes of both the maxilla and mandible (often called the alveolar bones) serve to anchor the teeth. The landmarks of these processes (visualized when the teeth are extracted) include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Alveolar yokes<\/strong>. Also known as <strong>alveolar juga<\/strong>, are small elevations seen on the external surface of the alveolar arches caused by the roots of the teeth.<\/li><li><strong>Dental alveoli.<\/strong> The sockets in which the roots of the teeth are anchored in.<\/li><li><strong>Interdental septi<\/strong>. Thick bony ridges separating the dental alveoli.<\/li><li><strong>Interradicular septi. <\/strong>Thin bony ridges found within the dental alveoli of the molar teeth.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_4\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Incisive bone<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_4\">\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The incisive bone, also known as the <strong>premaxillary bone<\/strong>, is the anterior portion of the maxilla (palatine process), bearing the maxillary incisor teeth. Although embryologically it starts developing as a separate bone, in adults it fuses with the maxilla and is regarded as a part of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>incisive suture <\/strong>marks the fusion point of the incisive bone with the maxilla, with the <strong>incisive foramen<\/strong> (described below) forming the junction point of the incisive and intermaxillary sutures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>During embryological development, the hard palate develops from two separate components (primary palate, and secondary palate), that fuse later in life.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_5\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Openings and connections<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_5\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <strong>infra-orbital foramen<\/strong> is an opening found below the infraorbital margin of each orbit. It serves as the anterior opening of the <strong>infra-orbital canal<\/strong>.<\/li><li>The <strong>incisive foramen<\/strong> (also known as the anterior palatine foramen or nasopalatine foramen) is an opening found in the anterior portion of the intermaxillary suture, connecting between the roof of the mouth and the floor of the nasal cavity.<\/li><li>The <strong>foramina of the maxilla<\/strong> (Latin: <em>foramina alveolaria corporis maxillae<\/em>, also known as alveolar foramina) are openings found in the infratemporal surface of the maxilla through which vesseles and nerves enter into the <strong>maxillary alveolar canals<\/strong>, reaching to and supplying the upper molar teeth.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"pure-table\"><thead><tr><th>Opening\/connection<\/th><th>Contents<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Infra-orbital foramen<\/td><td>Infra-orbital nerve, artery, and vein<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Incisive foramen<\/td><td>Nasopalatine nerve, artery, and vein (also known as the sphenopalatine artery\/vein)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Foramina of the maxilla<\/td><td>Posterior superior alveolar nerve, artery, and vein<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption><strong>Table 2.<\/strong> Openings and connections of the maxilla, and the <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_6\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">References<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_6\">\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Moore KL, F A, A M R Agur. <em>Clinically Oriented Anatomy<\/em>. 8th ed. Wolters Kluwer; 2018:822<\/li><li>Drake RL, Vogl W, Mitchell AWM. <em>Gray\u2019s Anatomy for Students.<\/em> 4th ed. Elsevier; 2019:844<\/li><li>Standring Susan. <em>Gray\u2019s Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice<\/em>. 42nd ed. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2020.<\/li><li>Soriano RM, Das JM. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Maxilla. Nih.gov. Published February 21, 2019. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK538527\/<\/li><\/ol>\n<\/span><div id=\"the_titles\" style=\"display:none;\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Description<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Parts<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Alveolar processes<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Incisive bone<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Openings and connections<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">References<\/h4><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Description The maxilla (pleural: maxillae) is a paired bone that forms the majority of the facial skeleton, as well as serves as the following: Floor of the orbit Upper jaw and roof of the mouth Inferior portion of the pyriform aperture (opening of the nasal cavity) Lateral walls of the nasal cavity Parts Each maxilla [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4467,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6075","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Maxilla &#8211; 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