Mesial Surface of Maxillary Second Molar Tooth

Description

The mesial surface is the aspect of the maxillary second molar tooth that faces towards the maxillary first molar tooth. It is one of five surfaces of the crown of the tooth, the other four being the buccal, lingual, distal, and occlusal surfaces. It consists of a contact zone, which is the area of the tooth that touches the adjacent tooth of the same dental arcade.

The mesial surface meets the:

- buccal surface at the mesiobuccal angle;

- lingual surface at the mesiolingual angle;

- occlusal surface at the mesioocclusal angle.

For descriptive purposes, the mesial surface of a maxillary tooth can be divided by two horizontal lines into three portions. In a superior to inferior direction, these are the:

- cervical third;

- middle third;

- occlusal third.

Furthermore, the mesial surface of a tooth can also be divided by two vertical lines into three portions. In a lingual to buccal direction, these are the:

- lingual third;

- middle third;

- buccal third.

Overall, the mesial and distal surfaces of all teeth are collectively known as approximal surfaces, or proximal surfaces. The approximal surfaces are the surfaces of a tooth that face adjacent teeth of the same dental arcade. Each tooth has two approximal surfaces:

- the approximal surface that lies closest to the midline is known as the mesial surface;

- the approximal surface that lies furthest away from the midline is known as the distal surface.