PERMANENT

MAXILLARY MOLARS
Largest teeth of oral cavity
 INTRODUCTION
Largest tooth of oral cavity
Located laterally from both the maxillary second premolars.
There are 3 permanent maxillary molars namely- 1ST MOLAR,
2ND MOLAR, 3RD MOLAR.
They are not succedeaneous teeth as they have no
predecessors.
 FUNCTION
Grinding of food- principle action of mastication
Support muscles of mastication
Helps to maintain vertical dimension of face.
Anchorage in orthodontic treatment for both extra oral and
intra oral appliances
PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE
Parotid duct opens opposite
to maxillary 2nd molar
Molar roots penetrate the
floor of maxillary sinus
PATHOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE
2nd most commonest to be
affected by dental caries
and undergoes root canal
treatment.
Common route of infection
for oro antral fistulas
 MAXILLARY 1ST MOLAR
CHRONOLOGY:
FIRST EVIDENCE OF AT BIRTH
CALCIFICATION:
CROWN COMPLETED: 3 4 YEARS
ERUPTION: 6 7 YEARS
ROOT COMPLETED: 9 10 YEARS
 GROSS ANATOMY
CROWN- 4 major cusps namely- mesiobuccal, distobuccal,
mesiopalatal, distopalatal.
One supplementary cusp- CUSP OF CARABELLI-located in
mesiopalatal cusp.
ROOT-3 roots :Palatal root- longest
Mesiobuccal root broad buccolingually
Distobuccal root- smallest
 MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION
BUCCAL ASPECT
CROWN
Geometric outline: roughly trapezoidal
Surface outline:
Mesial outline: more or less straight .Mesial contact area which
is located at the junction of the occlusal and middle thirds
Distal outline: is convex. Distal contact area which lies at the
middle of the middle third,
Cervical outline: shows little curvature than the teeth anterior to
this tooth, generally it is regular and slightly convex toward
the root.
SURFACE DESCRIPTION
1. Mesiobuccal cusp is broader than the distobuccal cusp
2. Mesial and distal slopes of the distobuccal cusp meet at right
angle, so distobuccal cusp is sharper.
3. A buccal developmental groove separates the two buccal
cusps and ends buccaly midway between the occlusal
surface and the cervical line.
4. At its terminus a mesial and distal dips in the enamel are
found.
ROOT
The three roots are seen from the buccal aspect.
The mesiobuccal root inclines distally while the distobuccal
root inclines mesially.
The root trunck has a length of about 4 mm from the cervical
line to the furcation area.
A deep developmental groove extends on the buccal surface
of the root trunk from the furcation area toward the cervical
line where it terminates in a shallow depression.
PALATAL ASPECT
Crown:

Mesiopalatal Cusp:
1. Is the largest and the longest cusp of this tooth.
2. The mesial outline is almost straight and forms a right angle
with the mesial slope of the mesiolingual cusp,
3. Mesial and distal slope of this cusp form an obtuse angle.
Distolingual Cusp:
1. The distal outline is smoothly convex and becomes
continuous with the rounded distal slope of the distolingual
cusp forming.
 Surface description:
1. A lingual developmental groove is seen at the center takes a sharp
turn distally and ends at the occlusal surface.
2. The tubercle of Crabelli is seen on the lingual surface of the
mesiopalatal cusp.
ROOT
The three roots are seen from the palatal aspect, large palatal root
which is conical and terminates in a blunt apex.
MESIAL ASPECT
Crown:
Geometric outline: roughly trapezoidal with the short side
occlusally and the long side cervically .
Buccal outline: The buccal outline makes a short arc buccally,
the crest of the curvature of this arc is located at the cervical
third.
Palatal outline: The palatal outline is convex from the
cervical line.
Cervical outline: The cervical line is irregular with little
curvature occlusally.
Occlusal outline: The mesial marginal ridge is irregular, convex
cervically and it is continuous with the mesial cusp ridges of
the mesiobuccal and mesiolingual cusp.
 Surface description:
The mesial contact area is located just cervical to the mesial
marginal ridge at the junction of the occlusal and the middle
thirds slightly to the buccal side of the mesial third.
ROOT
1. Two roots are seen from this aspect, the mesiobuccal root
and the palatal root.
2. The furcation area is nearer to the cervical line than buccally.
3. The mesiobuccal root: The buccal outline of the mesiobuccal
root extends upward and outwards to end in a blunt apex,
while its palatal outline extends from its blunt apex to the
furcation area as a straight line.
4. The lingual root :is longer but narrower than the
mesiobuccal root. It is banana shaped with convex lingual
outline and a concave buccal outline.
DISTAL SURFACE:
Crown:
1. The buccolingual dimension of the tooth is smaller distally
than mesially, thus part of the buccal surface could be seen
from the distal aspect.
2. The distal marginal ridge is more curved cervically exposing
most of the occlusal surface.
3. The cervical line is almost straight.
4. The distal surface is generally convex with a small concave
area at the cervical third near the distobuccal root
 Roots: The distobuccal root is narrower than the other two
roots, its buccal outline starts as concave line then it turns to
be convex till the root apex. Its palatal outline is concave from
the apex to the furcation are.
OCCLUSAL SURFACE:
Geometric outline:
From the occlusal aspect the maxillary first molar is somewhat
rhomboidal with:
Acute mesiobuccal and distolingual angles
Obtuse distobuccal and mesiolingual angles.
 Dimensions: The crown is wider mesially than distally
and wider palatally than buccally.
Surface outline:
The occlusal surface of the upper first molar is bound by the
cusp ridges buccally and lingually and by the marginal ridges
mesially and distally.
The distolingual lobe becomes progressively smaller, starting
from first to third molar.
SURFACE DESCRIPTION:
CUSPS: formed of three major cusps. Called primary cusps.
These are the mesiolpalatal ,mesiobuccal and the distobuccal
cusps and a one secondary cusps, is the distolpalatal cusp
common to all maxillary molars.
An oblique ridge formed by the union of the triangular ridges
of the mesiolingual and distobuccal cusps.
FOSSAE:
Major fossae:
1. The central fossa which is roughly triangular -lies mesial to
the oblique ridge.
2. The distal fossa which is linear -lies distal to the oblique
ridge.
Minor fossae: The mesial and distal triangular fossae that
lie inside the mesial and distal marginal ridges respectively.
 GROOVES:
Buccal developmental groove radiates buccally continuing
onto the buccal surface of the crown between the buccal
cusps.
Starting again from the central pit, a central developmental
groove extends in a mesial direction and terminates at the
apex of the mesial triangular fossa.
 An additional groove radiates from the central pit, crosses the
oblique ridge transversely and joins the central and distal
fossa. This groove is called the transverse groove of the
oblique ridge.
Irregular developmental groove called the distal oblique
groove which joins the lingual developmental groove that
extends between the lingual cusps and ends on the lingual
surface
 MAXILLARY 2ND MOLAR
CHRONOLOGY:
FIRST EVIDENCE OF 2.5 - 3 YEAR
CALCIFICATION
CROWN COMPLETED 7 8 YEARS
ERUPTION 12 - 13 YEARS
ROOT COMPLETED: 14 16 YEARS
 GROSS ANATOMY
CROWN- 3 major cusps with distopalatal cusp poorly
developed with no cusp of carabelli
Crown is slightly shorter cervico-occlusally but has the same
buccolingual measurement as the first molar.
ROOT-has roots that have the same length or slightly longer
than those of the first molar
 MORPHOLOGIC DESCRIPTIONS
BUCCAL ASPECT
Crown:
The crown is smaller both cervico-occlusally and
mesiodistally than the maxillary first molar.
The distobuccal cusp is smaller allowing parts of the
distal marginal ridge and distopalatal cusp to be seen.
Roots:
The buccal roots are about the same length, they are more
nearly parallel and more distally inclined.
The apex of the mesiobuccal root is in line with the buccal
groove instead of the tip of the mesiobuccal cusp as found in
the first molar.
PALATAL ASPECT
CROWN
The distopalatal cusp is smaller, the distobuccal cusp may be
seen through the sulcus between the mesiopalatal and
distopalatal cusps and no tubercle of Carabelli is found.
ROOT
The apex of the palatal root is in line with the tip of the
distopalatal cusp instead of the lingual groove as was found in
the first molar
MESIAL ASPECT
The buccolingual dimension is about the same and the root
do not spread as far buccolingually as the first molar.
DISTAL ASPECT
Because the distobuccal cusp is smaller, more of the
mesiobuccal cusp may be seen. The apex of the lingual root is
in line with the distolingual cusp.
OCCLUSAL ASPECT
More rhomboidal in shape.
The buccolingual diameter is equal but mesiodistal is slightly
less.
The mesiobuccal and mesiolingual cusps are large and well
developed as those of the first molar.
While the distobuccal and distolingual cusps are smaller and
less developed.
More supplemental grooves are found on the occlusal surface
of the second molar.
 MAXILLARY 3RD MOLAR
CHRONOLOGY:
FIRST EVIDENCE OF 7 - 9 YEAR.
CALCIFICATION:
CROWN COMPLETED: 12 - 16 YEARS.
ERUPTION: 17 - 21 YEARS.
ROOT COMPLETED: 18 - 25 YEARS.
 GROSS ANANTOMY
Third maxillary molars show more variations in form than any
of the other teeth in the mouth.
CROWN:crown is smaller, occlusal aspect is the heart
shaped type with a very small and probably absent
distolingual cusp.
ROOT-roots are shorter with great tendency for fusion
resulting in one tapered root.
 MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTIONS
BUCCAL ASPECT:
Crown:
The crown is smaller both cervico-occlusally
and mesiodistally

Roots:
Fused roots functioning as one large root,
and they are shorter cervico-apically.
The fused roots taper to the apex which shows distal
inclination
PALATAL ASPECT
The palatal surface appears with only one large lingual cusp
and no lingual groove.
Sometimes features of poorly developed distolingual cusp and
a lingual groove.
MESIAL ASPECT:
The main feature is the fusion of the roots and their tapering
to the apex.
The fused roots may show bifurcation at the apical third.
The root portion is shorter in relation to the crown length.
DISTAL ASPECT:
Most of the occlusal and the buccal surfaces are seen from
the distal aspect.
The length of the crown distally is shorter. There is no distal
contact area.
OCCLUSAL ASPECT:
The occlusal surface of a typical maxillary third molar is heart
shaped or rhomboidal shaped.
The lingual cusp is large and there is little or no distolingual
cusp.
This gives a semicircular outline to the tooth lingually.
A lot of supplemental grooves are a characteristic feature for
the third molars giving the occlusal surface a wrinkled
appearance.
Thank you