Incisors. – The four front teeth in both the upper and lower jaws are called incisors.
Their primary function is to cut food.
The two incisors on either side of the midline are known as central incisors.
The two adjacent teeth to the central incisors are known as the lateral incisors..
The left and right halves of the lower jaw, or mandible, begin originally as two distinct bones, but in the second year of life the two bones fuse at the midline to form one.
The horizontal central part on each side is the body of the mandible..
The mandible has two foramina.
The mandibular foramen is found on the ramus of the mandible.
This foramen serves as the opening for the inferior alveolar artery and the inferior alveolar nerve.
These two neurovascular structures travel through the mandibular foramen, the canal, and exit through the mental foramen..
The mandible, located inferiorly in the facial skeleton, is the largest and strongest bone of the face.
It forms the lower jaw and acts as a receptacle for the lower teeth.
It also articulates on either side with the temporal bone, forming the temporomandibular joint..
Normally, the mandibular first molar is the largest tooth in the mandibular arch.
It has five well-developed cusps: two buccal, two lingual, and one distal (see Figure 12-1).
It has two well-developed roots, one mesial and one distal, which are very broad buccolingually..
Eight incisors – Four incisors in the upper jaw and four incisors in the lower jaw.
Four canines – Two canines in the upper jaw and two canines in the lower jaw.
Eight premolars– Four premolars in the upper jaw and four premolars in the lower jaw.
Twelve molars- Six molars in the upper jaw and six in the lower jaw..
The lower jaw (mandible) supports the bottom row of teeth and gives shape to the lower face and chin.
This is the bone that moves as the mouth opens and closes.
The upper jaw (maxilla) holds the upper teeth, shapes the middle of the face, and supports the nose..
Your lower jaw should be centered in the joints on both sides.
You unconsciously move your jaw slightly out of the socket to make your teeth fit together.
Muscles can become fatigued having to hold your jaw in this unnatural position..
The lower jaw is made up of two major sections, the body and the ramus
The mandibular body has two borders and two defined surfaces: The mandibular symphysis — the area in the top-middle of the chin — acts as a midline in the body and shows where the right and left sides of the lower jaw fuse together during early age development
The ramus is the vertical part of the jaw
It extends cranially from the angle of the mandible (gonial angle)
It is the second-largest part of the mandibleThe gonial angle may range between 110 and 130 degrees depending on age, sex, and race
3 Head — This part connects with the temporal bone to form the TMJ
The mandible, which holds the lower teeth, comprises the majority of the lower third of the maxillofacial skeleton and is of utmost functional importance
Complex mandibular movements are afforded by the masseter, temporalis, medial pterygoid, lateral pterygoid muscles, and temporomandibular joints
