maxillary molar

🦷 Maxillary Molars Study Guide

1. Maxillary molars are shorter in which direction?
   → Occlusogingivally

2. Maxillary molars are wider (thicker) in which direction?
   → Buccolingually

3. Maxillary molars develop from how many lobes?
   → 4 lobes

4. Maxillary molars have how many cusps?
   → 1st molar: 5 cusps (including cusp of Carabelli)
   → 2nd molar: 4 cusps (sometimes 3)
   → 3rd molar: 3 or 4 cusps (variable)

5. List the cusps from largest to smallest:
   → ML > MB > DB > DL > Cusp of Carabelli

6. The cusp of Carabelli is found on which tooth? Where?
   → Maxillary first molar, on the lingual surface of the mesiolingual cusp

7. How many buccal cusps are there on maxillary molars?
   → 2 (mesiobuccal and distobuccal)

8. Buccal cusps are separated by:
   → Buccal developmental groove

9. Which maxillary molar has a buccal pit at the end of the buccal groove?
   → Maxillary first molar

10. Maxillary molars have how many roots?
    → 3 roots: lingual (largest), mesiobuccal (second largest), distobuccal (smallest)

11. How many root canals does each of the maxillary molars have?
    → 1st molar: 4 canals (2 in MB root)
    → 2nd molar: 3 canals
    → 3rd molar: 3 canals (sometimes fewer, variable)

12. A ____________ is the area where the roots come together, and the ____________ is the base of this area.
    → Furcation; root trunk

13. The ____________ root of the maxillary ____________ molar is described as banana shaped.
    → Lingual root of the maxillary first molar

14. A 4-cusped molar has an occlusal outline that is:
    → Rhomboidal

15. A 3-cusped molar has an occlusal outline that is:
    → Heart-shaped

16. How many triangular ridges will you find on a maxillary molar?
    → 4 triangular ridges

17. What is the structure that runs DB to ML on the occlusal surface of the maxillary molars?
    → Oblique ridge

18. Name the transverse ridge(s) you will find on a maxillary molar:
    → One transverse ridge (between MB and ML cusps)

19. Name the pits you will find on the occlusal surface of a maxillary molar:
    → Central, distal, and mesial pits

20. Name the large fossa:
    → Central fossa

21. Name the small fossa:
    → Distal fossa and mesial triangular fossa

22. Maxillary molars will erupt after their mandibular counterparts.
    → True

23. Which tooth will have the most wrinkled appearance?
    → Maxillary third molar

24. The cusp of Carabelli is ____________ and always attached to the ____________ cusp.
    → Nonfunctional (supplemental); mesiolingual cusp

25. Which root on a maxillary first molar has 2 root canals?
    → Mesiobuccal root

26. Which marginal ridge is more cervically located (higher)?
    → Distal marginal ridge

27. Which marginal ridge is more occlusally located (lower)?
    → Mesial marginal ridge

28. Name the structure that separates the cusp of Carabelli from the ML cusp:
    → Developmental groove (cusp of Carabelli groove)

29. The oblique ridge is more prominent on which tooth?
    → Maxillary first molar

30. Which tooth has the longest root trunk?
    → Maxillary third molar