Dental Anatomy Dr.

Rawa Omar
Permanent mandibular molars
• Generally speaking, mandibular molars are the most posteriorly situated teeth in the
mouth, distal to the second mandibular premolar.
• They have large crowns but are shorter than the premolars.
• Mandibular molars are the largest teeth in a mandibular arch, constituting over half
(51%) of the mesiodistal dimension of that quadrant on each side.
• They are six in number, three in each quadrant named first, second, and third molar
according to their position from the midline.
• The permanent mandibular molars, similar to the maxillary molars, are also not
succedaneous teeth because they do not have any predecessors (no primary tooth). The
deciduous molars are still in place when the first permanent molars erupt at age 6.
• The mandibular molars perform the major portion of the work of the lower jaw in
mastication and the combination of food.

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Mandibular First Molars

➢ Chronology:
The first evidence of calcification: At birth.
Enamel completed: 2 ½ - 3 yr.
Eruption: 6–7 yr
Root completed: 9 – 10 years.

➢ General Characteristics:
• The lower first molar is the sixth tooth from the median line.
• It is the largest tooth in the mandibular arch.
• It has five well-developed cusps: two buccal, two lingual and one distal cusp.
• In addition to these cusps, the tooth has two well-formed roots, one mesial and one
distal.

Morphological Description:

Buccal Aspect:
I. crown:
▪ The crown of the mandibular first molar is roughly trapezoidal.
▪ All five cusps are in view. The two buccal cusps and the buccal
portion of the distal cusp are in the foreground, with the tips of
the lingual cusps in the background.
D M
▪ Two developmental grooves appear on the crown portion. These
grooves are called the mesiobuccal developmental groove and
the distobuccal developmental groove.
▪ The mesiobuccal, distobuccal, and distal cusps are relatively flat.

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 ▪ The mesiobuccal and distobuccal cusps are almost the same width making up about
80%.
▪ The distal cusp is small and more pointed than either of the buccal cusps.
▪ The mesial contact area is at the junction of the occlusal and middle third of the crown.
▪ The distal contact area is slightly lower because of the small distal cusp is shorter than
the mesiobuccal cusp.
▪ Approximately at the level of the ends of the developmental grooves, in the middle third,
a developmental depression is noticeable.

II. Root:
▪ The mesial root is curved mesially below the cervical line to the
middle third, then curved distally to the apex, which is located below
the mesiobuccal cusp.
▪ The distal root is less curved than the mesial and its axis is in a distal
direction from the cervix to the apex.
▪ The two roots’ bifurcation is approximately 3mm below the cervical
line.

Lingual Aspect:
I . Crown:
▪ Three cusps may be seen: two lingual cusps and the lingual
portion of the distal cusp.
▪ The two lingual cusps are pointed and are high enough to hide the
two buccal cusps from view. M D
▪ The mesiolingual cusp is the wider mesiodistally, with its cusp
tip somewhat higher than the distolingual cusp.
▪ The lingual developmental groove between the lingual cusps
extends downward for a short distance only.

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 ▪ The mesial contact area is somewhat higher than the distal contact area.

II. Root:
▪ The root bifurcation starts approximately 4 mm below the cervical line.
This bifurcation groove is almost in line with the lingual developmental
groove of the crown.
▪ The roots are longer lingually than buccally. These impressions are
derived from the fact that the cusp ridges are pointed and higher than the
buccal cusps, and the cervical line is higher (about 1 mm).

Mesial Aspect:
I. Crown:
▪ Two cusps and one root only are to be seen: the mesiobuccal and
mesiolingual cusps and the mesial root.
▪ Buccal cervical ridge is a curvature over the cervical third of the
crown buccally. This ridge is more prominent on some first molars
than on others.
▪ The mesial marginal ridge is placed about 1mm below the level of
the cusp tips.
▪ The contact area is almost centered buccolingually and placed below the crest of the
marginal ridge at the occlusal third.

II. Root:
▪ buccolingual measurement of the mesial root is also more significant
than the buccolingual measurement of the distal root
▪ The root form appears to be two narrow roots fused together with thin
hard tissue between.

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Distal Aspect:
I. Crown:
▪ More of the tooth is seen from the distal aspect because the crown
is shorter distally than mesially, and the buccal and lingual surfaces
of the crown converge distally.
▪ A great part of the occlusal surface may be seen, and some part of
each of the five cusps.
▪ The distal cusp is placed a little buccally. L B
▪ The distal contact area is placed just below the distal cusp ridge
of the distal cusp and at a level lower than the mesial contact area.
▪ The distal marginal ridge is short and comprises the distal cusp
ridge of the distal cusp and the distolingual cusp ridge of the distolingual cusp.

II. Root:
▪ The distal root is narrower buccolingually than the mesial root.
▪ The lingual border of the mesial root may be seen from the distal
aspect.

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Occlusal Aspect:
▪ The crown measurement is 1 mm or greater mesiodistally than buccolingually opposite
to the maxillary first molar.
▪ From the occlusal aspect, the geometric outline of the crown occlusally is somewhat
more oblong, rectangular, or square with the broadest measurement mesiodistally.

▪ The buccolingual measurement of the crown is greater on the mesial than on the distal
side.
▪ The measurement of the crown at the contact area is greater buccally than lingually.

Cusps:
▪ The mandibular first molar has four major cusps that are well developed according to
their location, and a small distal cusp appear on the buccal surface beside the distobuccal
cusp.

▪ The 1. mesiobuccal cusp is slightly larger than either

of the 2.3.two lingual cusps (mesiolingual and
distolingual), which are almost equal, followed by the
4.distobuccal cusp and the 5. distal cusp is the
smallest of all.
M D

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 Fossa:
▪ There is one prominent fossa:
o Central fossa, which is located centrally on the
occlusal surface.

▪ There are two minor fossae:

o Mesial triangular fossa, immediately distal to the
mesial marginal ridge.
o Distal triangular fossa, immediately mesial to the
distal marginal ridge.

Grooves and Ridges:

▪ The developmental grooves on the occlusal surface are
the central developmental groove, the mesiobuccal
developmental groove, the distobuccal developmental
groove, and the lingual developmental groove.

▪ Supplemental grooves, accidental short grooves, and

developmental pits are also found.

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Mandibular Second Molars:
➢ Chronology
First evidence of calcification: 2 ½ and 3yr
Enamel completed: 7–8 yr.
Eruption: 11–13 yr
Root completed: 14–15yr

➢ General Characteristics:
➢ It is the seventh tooth from the median line.
➢ There are many variations in the morphology of the mandibular second molar.
➢ Generally, the crown of mandibular second molars is slightly shorter (cervico-occlusally)
and smaller mesiodistally than that of the first molar with four well-developed cusps.
➢ Distal cusp never occurs in the mandibular second molar, and there is only one buccal
groove.
➢ In addition. Its roots are less divergent than those of the first molar.
➢ The mandibular second molar supplements the first molar in function. In describing this
tooth, direct comparisons will be made with the first molar in form and development.

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Buccal Aspect:
I.Crown:
▪ The crown is somewhat shorter cervico-occlusally and narrower mesiodistally than the
first molar.
▪ Only one developmental groove lies buccally, which is the buccal developmental
groove.
▪ The cervical line buccally sometimes points sharply toward the root bifurcation.
▪ The roots may be shorter than those of the first molar and are usually closer together,
and their apexes are nearly parallel.
▪ The root trunk is slightly longer than on the first molar.

D M

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Lingual Aspect:

▪ The crown and root have less convergence lingually than the first molar.

▪ The mesial and the distal contact areas are slightly lower than those of the first molar.

▪ The mesiodistal calibration at the cervix lingually is always greater accordingly than
that of the first molar

M D

Mesial Aspect:

▪ The cervical ridge buccally on the crown portion is, in most instances less pronounced
than on the first molars in most instances.
▪ The cervical line shows less curvature, being straight and regular.
▪ The mesial root is somewhat pointed apically.

B L

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Distal Aspect:
▪ Absence of a distal cusp
▪ There is no distobuccal developmental groove as in the first molar.
▪ The distal contact area is centered on the distal surface buccolingually and
cervicoocclusally

L B

Occlusal Aspect:

▪ The small distal cusp of the first molar is not present.

▪ The buccal and lingual developmental grooves meet the central developmental
groove at right angles at the central pit. These grooves form a cross, dividing the
occlusal portion of the crown into nearly four equal parts.
▪ Most second molars exhibit more curvature of the outline of the crown distally than
mesially, showing a semicircular outline compared to a square outline mesially.
▪ No distobuccal developmental groove is evident.

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Mandibular Third Molars
• It varies considerably in different individuals and presents many anomalies in
form and position.
• It supplements the second molar in function.
• The mandibular third molar shows irregular development of the crown
portion, with undersized roots.
• Its design usually conforms more closely to that of the second mandibular
molar in the number of cusps and the occlusal design.

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