Morphology of Molars Flashcards
Universal # of maxillary right perm. molars
1 2 3
Universal # of maxillary left perm. molars
14 15 16
Universal # of mandibular right perm. molars
30 31 32
Universal # of mandibular left perm. molars
17 18 19
Maxillary and mandibular molar widths make up 51% (mandibular) and 44% (maxillary) of the quadrant
___ (mandibular) and ___ (maxillary) of the quadrant
_____ are the only teeth with no tooth in proximal contact with the distal surface
Third molars
Functions of Molars
• Mastication (grinding)
• Maintenance of vertical dimension of face
• Maintenance of arch continuity for proper
alignment
• Support cheeks (esthetics)
Crown Size for All Molars
• Mesiodistal dimension is greater than occlusocervical (wider MD than tall OC)
• Have three to five cusps
• Larger crowns than other teeth but SHORTEST
occlusocervically
• Broader occlusal surfaces than other
teeth
Taper of molars
- Buccal to lingual ( occlusal view )
- Mesial to distal ( occlusal view )
- Mesial to distal ( buccal view )
Taper From Buccal to Lingual For All Molars
Crowns taper narrower from buccal to lingual
(EXCEPT maxillary first molar with large
distolingual cusp)
Taper to the Distal for All Molars
• From occlusal view, molar crowns taper narrower buccolingually from mesial to distal (are narrower buccolingually in distal third than in mesial third)
• All molar crowns taper from mesial to distal (distal cusps are shorter than mesial cusps) M -> D
______ molar is the only molar wider buccal to lingual
maxillary first molar (large DL cusp)
Facial height of
contour for molars is in ______
cervical third (as on all teeth)
Lingual height of
contour for molars is in _______
middle third (as on all posterior teeth)
Mesial contact for molars located
_________
near junction of middle/occlusal thirds
on all molars
Distal contact more
cervical near middle
third (on all molars)
more cervical; near middle
third (on all molars)
Crown Outline to Distinguish Maxillary From
Mandibular Molars:
Maxillary have occlusal ____ dimension greater: ____ shape
Mandibular have occlusal ___ dimension greater: ____ or ____ on firsts
Maxillary greater FL than MD
(wider faciolingually)
Maxillary: more square (rhomboid/parallelogram)
Mandibular greater MD than FL
Mandibular: Rectangular (pentagon on firsts)
Mandibular molars are likely to have #___ large cusps, often a fifth cusp on __1st or 2nd
4 large cusps, often 5th on mandibular 1st molars (distal - think 19/30)
Maxillary molars are likely to have _#___ large cusps, plus a smaller distolingual cusp, and possible fifth cusp called ______
3 large cusps
cusp of Carabelli
For maxillary and mandibular molars, each cusp is formed from how many lobes?
1 lobe (1:1)
Mandibular crowns tilt
______ relative to root
axis
lingually
T/F Maxillary crowns are more
centered over the root
with a lingual tilt
F
Maxillary crowns are more
centered over the root
with NO lingual tilt
T/F From buccal view, the
mandibular crowns tilt
slightly more mesially than
the maxillary
F From buccal view, the mandibular crowns tilt slightly more distally than the maxillary (think 19 & 30 we've been drilling on, APPRECIATE that distal tilt)
_____ have 3 roots
_____ have 2 roots
maxillary molars = 3 roots
mandibular molars = 2 roots
On maxillary molars, which root is the longest?
Which is shortest?
Is MB or DB root wider?
Maxillary
Lingual = longest
Distobuccal = shortest
Mesiobuccal = wider than DB
On mandibular molars, which root is longer? Which is wider?
Mandibular
Mesial = longer and wider
Distal = shorter and narrower
T/F Both mandibular molars are normally wider mesiodistally than occlusocervically (more so on firsts)
True
Which mandibular molar is larger?
Mandibular first larger than second (think 30 vs. 31, 30 has that extra distal cusp)
Mandibular firsts most often have five
cusps, __ buccal and ___ lingual
3 buccal: MB > DB > Distal
2 lingual: mesiolingual longer than distolingual
Mandibular first molar has __ buccal groove(s)
First has two buccal grooves (mesiobuccal, distobuccal)
Mandibular second molar has ____
cusps, __ buccal and ___ lingual, with __ buccal groove(s)
4 cusps: 2 buccal (MB-longer, DB) 2 lingual (ML-longer, DL)
1 buccal groove
T/F All mandibular molars have proximal contact areas located more occlusal on the mesial surface (at junction of _____) than on the distal (near _______)
mesial: jxn middle and occlusal thirds
distal: near middle third
T/F Cervical line/ CEJ of mandibular molars is close to straight mesiodistally (rarely may dip into root bifurcation)
True
Do mandibular first or second molars have more crown taper from the distal contact to the CEJ?
Which contour is straighter? M or D
More crown taper from distal contact to CEJ on FIRSTS than seconds
Mesial contour is more straight than distal
T/F Mandibular first and second molars have two roots: mesial (wider and shorter) and distal
M wider and longer > D
Root trunk shorter on mandibular first
or second?
First has shorter root trunk
On mandibular firsts, the roots are more ___ toward the apex
Divergent - mandibular first
convergent - mandibular second
Crowns taper narrower from buccal to
lingual (more so on firsts) so proximal
surfaces are somewhat visible from the _______
lingual
Mesiolingual and distolingual cusps are
_____ than buccal cusp (mandibular molars)
Mesiolingual and distolingual cusps are longer than buccal cusp
T/F Mesiolingual cusp is wider than distolingual cusp (mandibular molars)
True
T/F On mandibular molars, lingual groove, if onto lingual surface, is likely
to be carious
F
UNLIKELY
T/F Roots narrower on buccal side than lingual side for mandibular molars
F
Roots narrower on lingual side than buccal
Mandibular molars:
Buccal height of contour is in the
____ third
Lingual height of contour is in ____ third
Buccal: cervical third
Lingual: middle third (as on all molars)