Maksilla

Maksilla, known in anatomy as the maxilla, is the paired upper jaw bone that forms the central portion of the facial skeleton. It articulates with the frontal, zygomatic, lacrimal, nasal, ethmoid, palatine, and opposite maxilla, and contributes to the infraorbital rim, the lateral wall of the nasal cavity, and the hard palate. Each maxilla supports the upper teeth in its alveolar process and contains the maxillary sinus, one of the paranasal air-filled spaces.

Key features include the body of the maxilla, the alveolar process for tooth sockets, the frontal process that joins the frontal bone, the zygomatic process that meets the zygomatic bone, and the infraorbital margin with the infraorbital foramen. The orbital floor is formed partly by the maxilla, as is the anterior part of the roof of the mouth.

Developmentally, the maxilla forms largely by intramembranous ossification from neural crest–derived mesenchyme in the first pharyngeal arch. Growth is linked to craniofacial development and the eruption of the permanent dentition, with changes occurring at sutural joints and around the maxillary sinus.

Clinically, the maxilla is involved in common facial injuries, such as Le Fort fractures (I, II, and III) that disrupt the horizontal or vertical relationships of the bone. It is also a site for dental implants and can be affected by sinus disease or tumors. Blood supply is primarily via branches of the maxillary artery, and sensation is transmitted by the maxillary nerve (V2) through the infraorbital and superior alveolar nerves.