The maxilla is the paired bone forming the upper jaw, containing the upper teeth, forming the floor of the orbit, the lateral nasal walls, the hard palate (anterior two-thirds), and the anterior cheek prominence (zygomatic process). The maxillary sinus (antrum of Highmore) occupies the body of the maxilla.
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| Ossification | Membranous ossification from multiple centres in the sixth week of fetal development, combining with the palatal shelves to complete the palate by week 12. Failure of palatal shelf fusion produces cleft palate. |
Le Fort fractures classify midface fractures through the maxilla: Le Fort I (horizontal through the piriform aperture and pterygoid plates), Le Fort II (pyramidal through the nasal bones and orbital floor), Le Fort III (craniofacial separation through the zygomatic arch and orbital walls). The maxillary sinus is the most commonly sinusitis-affected sinus. Dental implants require adequate maxillary bone volume, sinus lift procedures augment the maxillary floor for implant placement.
Midface fractures through the maxilla are classed as Le Fort I (horizontal above the teeth), II (pyramidal), or III (craniofacial separation), producing a mobile midface and malocclusion.
A blow to the mouth can fracture the alveolar process of the maxilla along with the teeth it carries, displacing a segment of the dental arch.
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