Occlusal Surface of Maxillary Second Molar Tooth

Description

The occlusal (masticatory) surface is the aspect of the maxillary second molar tooth that faces the teeth of the mandibular dental arcade and comes into contact with them (occlusion) during mastication. It is one of the five surfaces of the crown of the tooth, the other four being the buccal, lingual, mesial, and distal surfaces. The occlusal surface consists of:

- mesiobuccal, mesiolingual, distobuccal and distolingual cusps;

- marginal and oblique ridges;

- central, mesial triangular, distal triangular and distal fossae.

The occlusal surface meets the:

- buccal surface at the buccoocclusal angle;

- lingual surface at the linguoocclusal angle;

- mesial surface at the mesioocclusal angle;

- distal surface at the distoocclusal angle.

For descriptive purposes, the occlusal surface of the maxillary molar teeth can be divided into three portions by two horizontal lines that travel mesiodistally. In a buccal to lingual direction, these are the:

- buccal third;

- middle third;

- lingual third.

Furthermore, the occlusal surface of the maxillary molar teeth can also be divided into three portions by two horizontal lines that travel buccolingually. In a mesial to distal direction, these are the:

- mesial third;

- middle third;

- distal third.