ANATOMICAL LANDMARK

1. ANATOMICAL LANDMARKS
IN MAXILLA
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Dr. Bhuvana Sachin
Professor
Department of Prosthodontics
crown and bridge

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3. ANATOMICAL STRUCTURES RELATED TO
MAXILLARY DENTURE
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Classification
Stress bearinng areas:
Primary
Firm tuberosities
Hard palate on either side of
palatal raphe
Secondary
Alveolar ridge
Rugae
Areas Requiring Relief in
Impression
Secondary stress-bearing
areas
Palatal torus
Median palatal raphe
Undercuts or sharp boney
prominence on ridges
Limiting Structures
The labial vestibule
The right and left buccal vestibules
The vibrating line
Zarb, Hobrirk, Eckert and Jacob ,Prosthodontic Treatment for Edentulous Patients:Complete Dentures and Implant Supported
Prostheses, 13th edition

4. STRESS BEARING AREAS
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STRESS BEARING AREAS

5. TUBEROSITIES
 These are dense fibrous connective tissue with minimal
compressibility offering the considerable support to the denture.
 Large tuberosities bounded by deep sulci offer very satisfactory
resistance to the lateral movements by the denture.
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6. HARD PALATE
 The two palatine processes of the maxillae and the palatine bone
form the foundation for the hard palate.
 FUNCTION:
• Provide considerable support for the denture.
• Support soft tissues that increase the surface areas of the basal seat.
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7. Classification
According to Levin- depending on shape in cross section
a) Flat b) Rounded c) U-Shaped d) V-Shaped
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8. Clinical significance
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• Resist vertical displacement but
easily displaced by lateral or torquing
forces.
Flat Palate
• Best resistance to vertical and lateral
forces.
Rounded or U-shaped
Palate
• Any vertical or torquing movements
tends to break the seal.
V-shaped Palate

9. RESIDUAL RIDGE
Classification:
A] Depending on anatomic contour of patient’s dentate arch
1. U-shaped
2. V-shaped
3. Square
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Levin B. Outline of Denture Technique ,First Visit -Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Preliminary Impressions. Complete Denture Prosthodontics
A Manual For Clinical Procedures, 17th Edition 2002

11. Clinical significance
 Most favorable for supporting the denture because of its firmness
and position.
 The artificial teeth will be placed near this ridge so that leverage will
be minimal under the circumstances.
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12. RUGAE
 The rugae are raised areas of dense connective tissue radiating from
the median suture in the anterior one third of the palate.
 This area is considered to be the secondary stress bearing area in the
upper jaw, since it can resist the forward movement of the denture.
 In this area, the palate is set at an angle to the occlusal plane of the
residual ridges and is rather thinly covered by soft tissues.
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RELIEF AREAS

14. THE INCISIVE PAPILLA
 Also known as palatine papilla.
 Is a small pear or oval shaped mucosal prominence situated at the
midline of the palate, posterior to the palatal surface of the central
incisors.
 In dentulous maxilla: Either discrete or continuous with the
interdental papilla of the upper incisors.
 In edentulous maxilla: Round, present behind the crest of the
residual ridge or on the tip of the ridge.
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15. Clinical significance
 It covers the incisive foramen, the opening of the nasopalatine canal,
which carries the nasopalatine vessels and nerve.
 Relief for the incisive papilla should be provided in every denture to
avoid any possible interference with the blood and nerve supply.
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16. TORUS PALATINUS
 A hard bony enlargement that occurs in he midline of the roof of the
mouth is called a torus palatinus.
 Condition occurs in 20% of the population.
 Extent can be determined by palpation.
 An arbitrary relief shape that disregards the extent of the hard area
should not be used.
 The more convex the hard area, the more relief will be required
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LIMITING STRUCTURES

18. LABIAL FRENUM
 The maxillary labial frenum is a fold of mucous membrane
extending from the mucous membrane of the lips to or towards the
crest of the residual ridge on the labial surface.
 It contains no muscles and has no action of its own
 It appears as fan-shaped band of tissues.
 When activated, it creates the labial notch in the denture base.
 The action of the lip in this area is vertical, so the labial notch is
usually narrow.
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19. Clinical Consideration:
 Sufficient relief should be given during final impression procedure
and in completed prosthesis because overriding of function of
frenum will cause pain and dislodgement of denture.
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Mohd. A, Mujtaba A, Shrestha S, Naeem A, Gaur A and Pandey K K; Anatomic landmarks in a maxillary and mandibular ridge - A
clinical perspective, International Journal of Applied Dental Sciences 2017; 3(2): 26-29

20. THE LABIAL VESTIBULE
 It runs from one buccal frenum to the other
on the labial side of the ridge.
 The main muscle of the lip, which forms the
outer surface of the labial vestibule is the
orbicularis oris.
 It receives support from the labial flange and
the position of the anterior teeth.
 For effective border contact between denture
and tissue, the vestibule should be
completely filled with impression material
during impression procedure.
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21. THE BUCCAL FRENUM
 It is a fold (or folds) of mucous membrane variable in size and
position, extending from the buccolabial mucous membrane
reflection area to the alveolar gingiva, usually in the cuspid region.
 It overlies the caninus (levator anguli oris) muscle
 On the denture, it produces the buccal notch.
 Most of the muscles of expression converge at the corner of the
mouth to form a nodule called the modiolus.
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Edwards, L. F., and Boucher, C. 0.: Anatomy of the Mouth in Relation to Complete Dentures, J.A.D.A. 29:331-345, 1942.

22. THE BUCCAL VESTIBULE
 The space bounded externally by the cheek and internally by the
alveolar gingiva (and the teeth in the dentulous mouth) is the buccal
vestibule.
 It extends from the buccal frenum or from thr first premolar area to
the hamular notch.
 It is mainly influenced by the modiolus and buccinator muscle and
distally by coronoid process.
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23.  This space usually is more superior than any other part of the border
 In denture, the distal end of the flange must not be too thick or the ramus
will push the denture out of the place during opening or lateral movements
of the mandible.
 During impression procedure the vestibule should be completely filled
with impression material for proper border contact between denture and
tissues.
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25. THE HAMULAR NOTCH
 It as also known as pterygomaxillary notch.
 It forms the distal limit of the buccal vestibule.
 It is a displaceable area, about 2mm wide, between the tuberosity of
the maxilla and the pterygoid plate.
 This notch is used as a boundary of the posterior border of the
maxillary denture back of the tuberosity.
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26.  It can be palated with a mouth mirror or
T-shaped burnisher.
 Overextending the denture base distal to
the notch will usually causes extremely
discomfort, due to interference with the
ascending ramus of the mandible.
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27. Clinical Consideration:
 Denture should not extend beyond the hamular notch, failure of
which will result in: Restricted pterygomandibular raphe movement.
 When mouth is wide open the denture dislodges.
 Pterygomandibular raphe may be sandwiched below the denture.
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Mohd. A, Mujtaba A, Shrestha S, Naeem A, Gaur A and Pandey K K; Anatomic landmarks in a maxillary and mandibular ridge - A
clinical perspective, International Journal of Applied Dental Sciences 2017; 3(2): 26-29

28. FOVEA PALATINAE
 These are two small indentations that are on each side of the
midline, usually on the distal end of the hard palate.
 They are formed by coalescence of several mucous gland ducts.
 The fovea are close to the vibrating line and are always in soft tissue
which makes them an ideal guide for the location of the posterior
border of the denture.
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29. POSTERIOR PALATAL SEALAREA
Definition
The soft tissue area limited posteriorly by the distal demarcation of
the movable and non-movable tissues of the soft palate and
anteriorly by the junction of hard and soft palates on which pressure,
within physiologic limits ,can be placed; this seal can be applied by
a removable complete denture to aid in its retention. GPT-9
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30.  The posterior palatal seal is divided into
two separate but confluent areas based
upon anatomic boundaries.
 The postpalatal seal: Extends medially
from one tuberosity to the other.
 The pterygomaxillary seal: Extends
laterally through the pterygomaxillary
notch (hamular notch) continuing for 3
to 4 mm anterolaterally approximating
the mucogingival junction.
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31. ANTERIOR VIBRATING LINE
 It is an imaginary line located at the junction of the attached tissues
overlying the hard palate and the movable tissues of the immediately
adjacent soft palate.
 It is cupid bow shaped.
 It is always on soft palatal tissues.
 This should not be confused with the anatomic junction of the hard
and soft palate.
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32.  Technique to locate: Valsalva
maneuver
Request the patient to blow
gently through the nose with
his nostrils being held firmly.
 Another method is to ask the
patient to say “ah” with a short
vigorous bursts.
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33. POSTERIOR VIBRATING LINE
 It is an imaginary line at the junction of the aponeurosis of the
tensor veli palatine muscle and the muscular portion of the soft
palate.
 It is usually in straight line and delineates the most distal extension
of the denture base.
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