Morpho 102 Copy
Maxillary Central Incisors
- The maxillary central incisors (No. 8 and No. 9) have unique anatomic features.
- They are larger in all dimensions, especially mediodistally, than a permanent mandibular central incisor.
- The labial surfaces are more rounded from the incisal aspect, with the tooth tapering toward the lingual.
- The root is short compared with the roots of other permanent maxillary teeth.
- All lingual-surface features, including the marginal ridges, lingual fossa, and cingulum, are more prominent on the maxillary central incisor than
on the mandibular central incisor.
Various views of a permanent maxillary right central incisor. (From Bath-Balogh MB, Fehrenbach MJ: Illustrated dental embryology, histology, and anatomy, ed 2, Philadelphia, 2005, Saunders.)
- The incisal edges of these teeth are formed at the labioincisal line angle and do not exist until an edge has been created by wear.
- The incisal edge is also known as the incisal surface or incisal plane.
- When newly erupted, the central and lateral incisors have three mamelons, or rounded enamel extensions on the incisal ridge, or edge.
- The mamelons usually undergo attrition shortly after eruption.
