maxillaries
Maxillaries, or maxillae, are a pair of irregular bones that form the upper jaw and the central part of the face. Each maxilla contributes to the floor of the orbit, the lateral wall of the nasal cavity, and the anterior part of the hard palate, and it bears the sockets for the upper teeth. The maxilla consists of a body and several processes: the frontal (orbital) process, the zygomatic process, the alveolar process, the palatine process, and a nasal process. The body contains the maxillary sinus, a pyramidal air cavity that opens into the middle nasal meatus. The alveolar process houses the dental sockets of the upper dentition.
The palatine process of the maxilla forms most of the anterior hard palate together with the horizontal
Articulations and relationships: the maxilla articulates with several neighboring bones, including the frontal bone superiorly, the
Clinical relevance: maxillary fractures, cavities, and sinusitis are common clinical concerns. Embryologically, each maxilla develops from