maxillare

Maxillare is a term used in anatomical Latin to denote the maxilla, the upper jaw bone of the skull. In contemporary English, the standard terms are "maxilla" for the bone and "maxillary" as the related adjective.

In humans and most vertebrates, the maxilla forms the central portion of the face. It houses the upper dentition, contributes to the orbital floor and the lateral walls of the nasal cavity, and, through its palatine processes, helps form the anterior part of the hard palate. The maxilla also contains the maxillary sinus, one of the paranasal sinuses.

Anatomically, each maxilla has a body and several processes: the frontal (or orbital) process toward the forehead, the zygomatic process toward the cheek, the alveolar process that bears the upper teeth, and the palatine process that fuses with the opposite maxilla to form the hard palate. The infraorbital foramen transmits the infraorbital nerve and vessels.

Developmentally, the maxilla forms by intramembranous ossification from the maxillary prominence of the first pharyngeal (branchial) arch.

Clinical relevance: Fractures of the maxilla can follow blunt trauma and are described in Le Fort fracture patterns. Pathologies may include maxillary sinusitis and dental conditions that require implants or orthognathic procedures.

Etymology and usage: The term "maxillare" derives from Latin; modern anatomical nomenclature generally uses "maxilla" or "maxillary." "Maxillare" is mainly encountered in historical texts or Latin-language descriptions.