MAXILLARY CENTRAL AND LATERAL INCISORS

- Four in number
- Centered in the maxilla, one on either side of the medial line, with the mesial surface of each in contact with the mesial surface of the
other.
- The right and left maxillary lateral incisors are distal to the central incisors

Incisal Ridge
- the portion of the crown which makes up the complete incisal portion
Incisal Edge
- formed by the junction of the linguoincisal surface, and the labial surface

PROXIMAL CONTACT AREAS OF MAXILLARY INCISORS

- The mesial contacts of both incisors are in the incisal third, very near the incisal edge for the central and slightly more cervical on
the lateral.
- The distal contacts of both incisors are more cervical than the mesial.

(LINGUAL VIEW )
LINGUAL FOSSAE OF MAXILLARY INCISORS
- The fossae of both maxillary incisors are most often deeper than fossae in mandibular incisors

MARGINAL RIDGES OF MAXILLARY INCISORS

- The mesial and distal marginal ridges vary in prominence
- “shovel-shaped incisors”
- They may also have been worn smooth (forming facets) from attrition or chewing by the mandibular incisors.

PALATOGINGIVAL OR PALATORADICULAR GROOVE

- A predisposing factor in localized periodontal disease

MARGINAL RIDGES OF MAXILLARY INCISORS

- Mesial marginal ridges are longer than distal marginal ridges.
- The shorter distal marginal ridges are more curved compared to the mesial marginal ridges that are straighter incisocervically.

PITS AND ACCESSORY RIDGES OF MAXILLARY INCISORS

- Small, narrow accessory lingual ridges may extend vertically from the cingulum toward the center of the fossa in both types of
maxillary incisors
- Accessory ridges may be 1, 2, 3, or 4 in number
ROOT SHAPE OF MAXILLARY INCISORS
- The root contour is convex and tapers, becoming narrower toward the lingual surface.

(PROXIMAL VIEWS)
INCISAL EDGE OF MAXILLARY INCISORS
- The incisal edge is commonly just labial to the root axis line or may be on the root axis line.

CERVICAL LINE OF MAXILLARY INCISORS

- The cervical line curves incisally on the mesial and distal tooth surfaces, and this curvature is greater on the mesial surface than on
the distal surface.

HEIGHT (CREST) OF CONTOUR OF MAXILLARY INCISORS

- On the labial outline, the height of contour is in the cervical third, just incisal to the cervical line
- The lingual outline is “S” shaped, and the height of contour is also in the cervical third, on the cingulum.

ROOT SHAPE AND ROOT DEPRESSIONS OF MAXILLARY INCISORS

- The distal root surfaces are likely to be convex, without a longitudinal depression
- The mesial root surfaces could have a slight depression in the middle third cervicoapically, slightly lingual to the center faciolingually.

MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISORS MAXILLARY LATERAL INCISORS

FIRST EVIDENCE OF CALCIFICATION: 3-4 MONTHS FIRST EVIDENCE OF CALCIFICATION: 10-12 Months
ENAMEL COMPLETED: 4-5 YEARS ENAMEL COMPLETED: 4-5 yrs
ERUPTION: 7-8 YRS ERUPTION: 8-9 yrs
ROOT COMPLETED: 10 YRS ROOT COMPLETED: 11 yrs

LABIAL VIEW LABIAL VIEW

CROWN SHAPE OF MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISOR CROWN SHAPE OF MAXILLARY LATERAL INCISOR

- Based on Woelfel’s studies, the crown of the maxillary central - Narrower mesiodistally than the crown of the maxillary central
incisor is the longest of all human tooth crowns incisor
- Widest crown of all incisors - Longer root
- Longer (incisogingivally) than wide (mesiodistally) - Crown outline is less symmetrical than on the central incisor
- Narrowest in the cervical third and becomes broader toward the The labial surface is more convex or less flat mesiodistally than on
incisal third. the maxillary central

INCISOPROXIMAL LINE ANGLES OF MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISOPROXIMAL LINE ANGLES OF MAXILLARY LATERAL
INCISORS INCISORS
- The mesioincisal angle is nearly a right angle - Both the mesioincisal and distoincisal angles are more
- The distoincisal angle is slightly obtuse or greater than a right rounded
angle - The mesioincisal angle is more acute than the distoincisal
angle, accentuated by the incisal edge sloping cervically
toward the distal

ROOT-TO-CROWN PROPORTIONS OF MAXILLARY CENTRAL ROOT-TO-CROWN PROPORTIONS OF MAXILLARY CENTRAL

INCISORS INCISORS

- On a maxillary central incisor, the root is only slightly longer - The maxillary lateral incisor root is longer than on the
than the crown central.
- root-to-crown ratio that is the smallest of any permanent
tooth

ROOT SHAPE OF MAXILLARY LATERAL INCISOR

- The root of a maxillary lateral incisor tapers evenly toward the
rounded apex.
- The apical end is commonly bent distally.

SUMMARY ( LABIAL VIEW )

TRAITS TO DISTINGUISH MAXILLARY CENTRAL FROM LATERAL INCISOR: LABIAL VIEW

CENTRAL INCISOR
Larger crown, wider cervically
Mesial incisal angle is a right angle
Distal contact closer to incisal ridge
Less likely root tip bend to distal Incisal edge closer to horizontal

LATERAL INCISOR
Smaller crown, narrower cervically
Mesial incisal angle is rounder
Distal contact is near middle third Root tip often bends to distal
Incisal edge slopes cervically to distal

TRAITS TO DIFFERENT MAXILLARY RIGHT FROM LEFT INCISOR: LABIAL VIEW

CENTRAL INCISOR AND LATERAL INCISOR

Mesial crown outline flatter, distal more rounded

Distoincisal angle more rounded than mesioincisal angle Distal contact more cervical than mesial contact
Incisal edge slopes shorter toward the distal

LINGUAL VIEW

LINGUAL FOSSAE OF MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISORS LINGUAL FOSSAE OF MAXILLARY LATERAL INCISORS

- The lingual fossa of the maxillary lateral incisor is often even

more pronounced than on the central incisor.

CINGULUM OF MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISORS CINGULUM OF MAXILLARY LATERAL INCISORS

- usually well developed and is located off-center, distal to the - narrower than on the central, and it is almost centered on the
root axis line that bisects the root longitudinally. root axis line.

PITS AND ACCESSORY RIDGES OF MAXILLARY LATERAL

INCISORS

- More frequently in lateral incisors, a lingual pit may be

detectable at the incisal border of the cingulum where the
mesial and distal marginal ridges converge.
SUMMARY ( LINGUAL VIEW )

TRAITS TO DISTINGUISH MAXILLARY CENTRAL FROM LATERAL INCISOR: LINGUAL VIEW

CENTRAL INCISOR
Larger shallow lingual fossa
Cingulum distally positioned
Less frequent lingual pit

LATERAL INCISOR
Deep but small fossa
Cingulum centered
More common lingual pit

Plus outline characteristics seen from facial apply to lingual outline.

TRAITS TO DIFFERENTIATE MAXILLARY RIGHT FROM LEFT INCISOR: LINGUAL VIEW

CENTRAL INCISOR
Cingulum toward distal
Distal marginal ridge more curved than mesial
Both have longer mesiolingual marginal ridge

LATERAL INCISOR
Longer and straighter mesial marginal ridge

Plus outline characteristics from facial also apply to lingual outline

PROXIMAL VIEWS

INCISAL EDGE OF MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISORS

- From the mesial side, the slight distolingual twist of the incisal
ridge of the maxillary central incisor places the distal portion
at the ridge even somewhat more lingual than on the mesial.

ROOT SHAPE AND ROOT DEPRESSIONS OF MAXILLARY ROOT SHAPE AND ROOT DEPRESSIONS OF MAXILLARY
CENTRAL INCISOR LATERAL INCISOR
 - The root is wide faciolingually at the cervix and tapers to a - The root tapers more evenly throughout the root toward the
rounded apex. blunt apex.
- The lingual outline is nearly straight in the cervical third, and
then curves labially toward the tip in the middle and apical
thirds.
- The labial outline is even straighter.

SUMMARY ( PROXIMAL VIEW )

TRAITS TO DISTINGUISH MAXILLARY CENTRAL FROM LATERAL INCISOR: PROXIMAL VIEWS

CENTRAL INCISOR
Deeper lingual crown concavity
Root outline more curved on lingual than facial
LATERAL INCISOR
Slightly shallower lingual crown concavity
More even root taper facially and lingually

TRAITS TO DIFFERENTIATE MAXILLARY RIGHT FROM LEFT INCISOR: COMPARING PROXIMAL VIEWS

CENTRAL INCISOR AND LATERAL INCISOR

Larger cervical line curvature on mesial than distal
Flatter mesial root surface contour than distal contour

INCISAL VIEW

CROWN PROPORTION FACIOLINGUALLY VERSUS CROWN PROPORTION FACIOLINGUALLY VERSUS

MESIODISTALLY OF MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISORS MESIODISTALLY OF MAXILLARY LATERAL INCISORS

- The incisal outline of the maxillary central incisor is noticeably - The mesiodistal measurement of the lateral incisor crown is
wider mesiodistally than faciolingually. also greater than the labiolingual measurement but less so
than on the central incisor.

OUTLINE SHAPE AND CINGULUM LOCATION OF OUTLINE SHAPE AND CINGULUM LOCATION OF
MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISOR MAXILLARY LATERAL INCISOR

- The incisal outline is somewhat triangular - Outline is more round or oval than triangular
- The labial outline is broadly curved forming the base of the - The cingulum of the lateral incisor is nearly centered
triangle, and the other two sides of the triangle converge mesiodistally
toward the cingulum.

INCISAL RIDGE CONTOUR OF MAXILLARY CENTRAL INCISORS INCISAL RIDGE CONTOUR OF MAXILLARY LATERAL INCISORS

- The incisal ridge or edge of the maxillary central incisor is 1.5 - The incisal ridges on lateral incisors are straighter
to 2 mm thick faciolingually and is slightly curved from mesial mesiodistally than on the central incisors.
to distal, the convexity being on the labial side.
- The position of the distoincisal angle is slightly
more lingual than the position of the
mesioincisal angle.