Lecture # 7

Morphology
Of Permanent Molars

In this lecture we will talk about permanent 1st molar ,

. but at first we will talk about molars in general

:slide #2
Class traits-
molars have 3 or more cusps but sometimes there is a (1
possibility to have a premolar with 3 cusps , so how can we
? distinguish between the two
by counting the # of cusps buccally; premolars have-
.only one cusp buccally , but molars have at least two

lingually, molars have one or two cusps , but the most (2

.common to have two

.molars in general have 2 or 3 roots (3

:Slide #3
:(Arch traits ( to distinguish between upper & lower molars-
:Roots (1
Upper molars have 3 roots; 2B and 1L but lower molars have 2
.roots; 1M & 1D

: Crown (2
In upper molars the crown is wider BL than MD (BL =
(11.0mm , MD=10.0mm
.(Lower molars the MD>BL (BL=10.0mm , MD=11.0mm

:Cusps (3
In upper molars there're 4 unequal cusps but lower molars have
.4 equal sized cusps

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 :When we look to the occlusal surface of upper molar we find -

Three major cusps belong to 1 unit (ML, MB &DB) which are *

.(arranged in a tricuspid-triangular pattern (Trigon

DL cusp which doesn't belong to the Trigon & this cusp is*
.small in size and sometimes missing especially in 3rd molar

U should know that the 4 equal sized cusps in lower

molar belong to 1 unit

In upper molars there's an oblique ridge which comes from (4

.ML to DB cusps , but in lower molars there's no oblique ridge

Great Apes like Gorilla and Chimpanzee have the

oblique ridges but monkeys don't have it , they've
transverse ridges & their lower molars look like upper
.molars

5) In upper molars the cusps are unequal in size (MB>DB)

(ML > DL)
-Remember in lower molars cusps are equal in
size.

Slide #5:
3rd molar 2nd molar 1st molar
- Type trait ( to distinguish between
1st , 2nd & 3rd molars):

1) When we go posteriorly the DL cusp

reduces in size and may be missing in
3rd molar "as we mentioned previously"

2) 1st molar is the largest & shows the

least morphological variation .
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3) Cusp of carabelli which present on the ML cusp of the 1st
molar .

Remember that 80% of molars have cusp of

carabelli that means U may find a 1st molar
without this cusp, sooooo if U get a molar
without cusp of carabelli that doesn't mean this
molar isn't the 1st molar .

- Sometimes we've a cusp of carabelli in the max. 2nd

molar in a very very low % , but of course we don't have in
the 3rd molar .

4) Roots :
As we go posteriorly the roots become distally inclined &
much closer to each other and there's possibility to fuse in 3rd
molar .

5) Line angles ( this point isn't mentioned in the slides )

As we go posteriorly the acute angles become more acute &
the obtuse angles become more obtuse & the tooth become
more rhomboidal .

Slide # 6:
Now we will talk about max. permanent 1st molar

Buccal aspect :
- MB & DB cusps are equal in height but the MB cusp
is wider mesio-distally & the 2 cusps are separated by
B groove that terminates halfway.
- Slopes of DB are steeper than MB
- The apex of DB cusp is sharper than MB

- tip of ML cusp can be seen between the 2 B cusps bcz

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the ML cusp is big.

Slide #7:

-M profile is highly convex in occlusal 2/3s & flat or concave in

the cervical 1/3. On the other side D profile is entirely convex.
-M HOC is 3/4 the distance from cervical line to marginal ridge,
& the D HOC is 3/5 the distance from CL to MR …......... so
M HOC is higher than D HOC ( higher : closer to O surface).

In all teeth the M HOC is higher than D HOC except the mand. 1st
premolar in which the M &D HOCs are nearly in the same
level .

-CL has 2 slightly curved segments separated by apical peak.

Slide #8:

Buccal surface :
- When we look to the buccal surface we can see part of
D surface bcz the angle between B &D surfaces is obtuse
< on the other hand we can't see any part of the M surface
bcz the angle between B & M surfaces is acute .
- Cervical 1/3 is convex .
- Occlusal 2/3s are flat .

Roots (buccal surface)

- 3 roots are visible
- B bifurcation is at junction between cervical & middle
1/3s.
- The area before bifurcation is called " Root Trunk "
where we find a shallow vertical groove in the middle of
it .
- MB & DB roots are narrow and get closer to each other
in the apical 1/3 .

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 - If we draw a line from the MB root apex it will pass
through the MB cusp tip and this is a type trait bcz when
we go posteriorly this line will pass distally to the MB
cusp tip why ???? bcz the root inclines distally.
- The longest L root is visible between the B roots .

Slide # 9 :

Lingual aspect :

-2 cusps are unequal in size : ML ( bigger )

DL ( smaller ) .
- ML cusp makes 3/5s of MD width of the crown
and this cusp is prominent & blunt .
- DL cusp is rounded , shorter & narrower .

Remember that DL cusp in 1st molar is larger than 2nd

&3rd molars .

- The 2 cusps are separated by L groove which terminate

at the midway of L surface.

Slide # 10:

- From the lingual aspect the M profile is convex except

in the cervical 1/3 , and the D profile is entirely convex
- L surface :
• Evenly convex OC .
• L groove divides L surface into M &D segments
• Cusp of carabelli is on the M segment ( some races
don't have this cusp ).
- Roots :
• 3 roots are visible .
• Proximal outline of B roots are visible .
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 • About the L root
@ Tapered with blunt apex .
@ Has shallow vertical depression from CL to 2/3s
@ If U draw a line from the L root apex it should
pass through the mid portion of the crown .

Slide # 11 :

Measial aspect :

- Maximum MD dimension at the cervix of the crown.

- ML cusp is higher than MB.
- B cervical 1/3 is strongly convex .
- B outline continues lingually in a straight line .
- L outline is uniformly convex .
- L HOC is at the mid point , B HOC is very close to
the cervical 1/3.

- CL is slightly convex occlusaly.

Slide # 12 :

Mesial surface :
- Mesial marginal ridge is marked by several tubercles &
supplementary grooves ( type trait )
- Cervical 1/3 is flat or concave .
- Occlusal 2/3s are convex .
- Contact point is between middle & occlusal 1/3s

Roots (Measial aspect):

- 2 roots : MB & L.
- MB is broad bucco-lingually .
- L root is narrow & banana – shaped , curves L then
B at the apex.

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- Both MB & L roots project beyond the crown profile
( outside the crown's limits ) and it's a type trait
bcz in the 2nd & 3rd molars the roots become closer
to each other .

Slide # 13 :

Distal aspect :

- DB cusp is more prominent than DL .

- Only small portions of M cusps are visible from
distal aspect and it's a type trait bcz in 2nd & 3rd
molars greater amounts of M cusps can be seen as the
DMR becomes lower when we go posteriorly .
- DMR is shorter than MMR that's why we can see
part of the O surface from the D aspect while we can't
see it from M aspect .
- DMR rarely has tubercles .
- B & L profiles are similar to those of M aspect .
- CL is nearly straight .

Slide # 14 :

- Distal surface : uniformly convex.

- Roots ( distal aspect )
• 3 roots are visible ( palatal , DB , MB ).
•DB root is shorter & narrower than MB soooo we
can see part of MB root .

Slide # 15:

Occlusal aspect ( most important)

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 - Square or rhomboidal shape but in lower
molars is square or rectangular .
- MB & DL are acute angles .
- ML & DB are obtuse angles .
- 1/3 of B surface & 1/2 of L are visible .
- In the B outline : D part is more lingually & the M part
is more buccally sooo the maximum distance bucco-
lingually should be in the mesial half .

Slide #16 :

- Transverse ridge joins the tips of MB & ML cusps .

- Oblique ridge joins the tips of ML & DB cusps

- Transverse ridge
Oblique ridge Make a triangle ( trigon)
D ridge of MB cusp
M ridge of DB cusp

- Trigon consists of 3 cusps :

• MB ,.ML ,.DB .
• DL isn't included in trigon .

- Talon
• Bears DL cusp & DMR .
• Located disto-lingually to the trigon .
st
• Well-developed in 1 molar & reduces in size in
2nd & 3rd molars .

Slide # 17 & 18 :

- Cusps in order of decreasing size:

ML> MB> DB > DL
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- M MR is longer & more prominent than D MR.

- Major fossae :
1) Central fossa :
- Located between the transverse & oblique ridges
- The maximum pit of the central fossa is the central
pit .

2) Distal fossa : located distal to the oblique ridge

( don't confuse between this fossa & the D triangular
Fossa ).

- Minor fossae :
1) M triangular fossa
- Located between MMR & transverse ridge .
- It contains M pit , MB & ML supplementary
grooves
2) D triangular fossa : located next to the D MR .

Each cusp has 2 ridges 1 M & 1 D except the ML

cusp .

• The ML cusp has an M cusp ridge goes

mesially but the D cusp ridge isn't going
distally it goes disto-buccaly to make the
oblique ridge .
• ( This point may be an exam question )
The oblique ridge is composed by 2 things :
1) the triangular cusp ridge of DB cusp
2) the D cusp ridge of ML cusp

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 Slide # 19:

§ Pulp
- MD section
• 2 horns, MB is higher
• Pulp chamber, roof & floor
• Canals, narrow
• Canal orifice
- BL section
• Pulp chamber is wider
• 2 horns of equal height
- X-section
• 3 canals

* This point isn't mentioned in the slides :

60% of population have 4 canals in this tooth that
means one root contain 2 canals which is the ML root .

THE END

DONE by : Ghadeer Swaqed & Areej Al-lama'

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