Maxillary First Molar Tooth

Key Features & Anatomical Relations

The maxillary first molar tooth is one of the three molar teeth that are found in a quadrant of the maxillary dental arcade. It includes the following bony features:

- parts: crown, root, and cervical line;

- surfaces: buccal, lingual, mesial, distal, and occlusal surfaces;

- landmarks: mesiobuccal, mesiolingual, distobuccal, and distolingual cusps, and marginal ridges.

The maxillary first molar tooth is located:

- distal to the maxillary second premolar tooth;

- mesial to the maxillary second molar tooth.

The root of the maxillary first molar tooth is lodged in a dental alveolus of the maxilla.

Development

The deciduous maxillary first molar tooth undergoes calcification during the fifteenth week in utero, with the development of the crown being completed during the sixth month after birth. Eruption of this tooth occurs during the sixteenth month after birth and the development of the root is completed during the third year.

The permanent maxillary canine tooth undergoes calcification around the time of birth, with the development of the crown being completed during the second to third years. Eruption of this tooth occurs during the sixth to seventh years and the development of the root is completed during the ninth to tenth years (Nelson, 2014).

Function

As with all molars, the maxillary first molar tooth has cusped surfaces and is specialized for the crushing or grinding (comminution) of food during mastication.

References

Nelson, S. J. (2014) Wheeler's Dental Anatomy, Physiology and Occlusion. 10th edn.: Elsevier Health Sciences.