MAXILLARY FIRST PREMOLAR

TOOTH NOTATION
Right Left
Universal system 5 12
Palmer notation 4 4

FDI 14 24

CHRONOLOGY
First evidence of calcification 18 – 21 months
Enamel completion 5 – 6 years
Eruption 10 – 11 years
Root completion 12 – 13 years

AVERAGE DIMENSIONS

Particular mm Particular mm
Cervico-occlusal length of crown 8.5 Bucco-lingual diam of the crown 9.0
Length of root 14 Bucco-lingual diam of crown at cervix 8.0
M-D Diam of crown 7.0 Curvature of cervical line – mesial 1.0
M-D Diam of crown at cervix 5.0 Curvature of cervical line – distal 0

BUCCAL ASPECT
 Outline is pentagonal in shape but smaller and less prominent cusp tip than canine.
 A prominent buccal ridge is present occluso-cervically, extending about halfway along the
surface.
 Cervical line is semi-circular with curvature toward the root.
 Mesial outline: Mesial margin joins the mesio-occlusal slope to create an obtuse mesio-
occlusal angle. The contour of the mesial outline is shallowly concave from the contact area
to the cervical line.
 Distal outline: shorter than the mesial, but the disto-occlusal angle is a little less prominent,
and the cervical concavity is not as deep.
 Occlusal outline: Divided into two components by the tip of the cusp, and they are termed
the mesio-occlusal and disto-occlusal slopes (or cusp ridges). The mesio-ooclusal slope is
longer and straighter than disto-occlusal which more curved and shorter. Occasionally, the
developmental depressions (notches) may be present on these occlusal slopes – called
Thomas notches.
 Crest of curvature:
o Mesially – junction of the occlusal and middle 3rds.
o Distally – in the middle 3rd, more cervical located than mesial.
 Root – only 1 root (out of the two – the buccal root) is visible from this aspect, which is
straight, and tapers evenly from the cervical line to a blunt apex.

LINGUAL / PALATAL ASPECT

 The lingual surface is smoothly convex with no clearly defined lingual ridge.
 The tooth is narrower mesiodistally at the lingual than at the buccal. In fact, the lingual
surface is smaller than the buccal surface in all dimensions.
 Lingual cusp is shorter than the buccal cusp; hence tips of both cusps are visible.
 The lingual cusp tip is noticeably offset to the mesial, making the mesio-occlusal slope
shorter than the disto-occlusal slope.
 The lingual cusp tip is not as sharply pointed as the buccal cusp tip.

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 MAXILLARY FIRST PREMOLAR

 The proximal outlines are normally somewhat convex, and shorter than the same outlines of
the buccal surface.
 The cervical outline is curved symmetrically toward the apex.
 Both roots are visible, the lingual being shorter than the buccal.

MESIAL ASPECT
 The mesial surface is trapezoidal, with the longer parallel side located at the cervical.
 Buccal outline of the crown is slightly convex.
 Lingual outline is convex.
 The cervical line irregularly convex toward the occlusal, depth of curvature 1 mm on an
average.
 Occlusal margin is irregularly concave, and made up of the mesial marginal ridge. A
prominent mesial marginal groove is usually present indenting the occlusal margin.
 A unique feature of the mesial surface – mesial concavity (canine fossa) – in the middle
portion of the cervical third.
 Crests of contour:
o Buccally: cervical third
o Lingually: middle 3rd
 Two roots are obvious from this aspect: buccal and a lingual, the former larger than latter.
 Root surfaces are convex and taper to apices which are sharp.

DISTAL ASPECT
Similar to mesial side, except for the following:
 slightly shorter occluso-cervically
 marginal ridge is located at a more cervical level
 no marginal groove or concavity
 cervical line curves occlusally to a lesser extent than on the mesial side – nearly straight

OCCLUSAL ASPECT
 Outline is hexagonal and wider bucco-lingually than mesiodistally.
 Lingual portion of the tooth is narrower mesiodistally than the buccal portion.
 Buccal outline - prominent buccal ridge.
 Lingual outline is evenly convex, almost in a semicircle.
 Mesial and distal margins – are relatively straight and converge toward the lingual. Mesial
marginal groove is prominent, creating a dip in the mesial outline.
 The occlusal surface, or occlusal table, is bounded on the mesial and distal by the marginal
ridges, and on the buccal and lingual by the mesial and distal cusp ridges of the buccal and
lingual cusps. Components of occlusal table:
o Buccal cusp with 4 ridges buccal and lingual cusp ridges, & mesial and distal cusp
ridges, and 4 inclined planes – mesiobuccal, distobuccal, mesiolingual distolingual
o Lingual cusp with 4 ridges lingual and buccal cusp ridges, & mesial and distal cusp
ridges, and 4 inclined planes – mesiobuccal, distobuccal, mesiolingual (non-functional) &
distolingual
o The buccal and lingual triangular ridges of the tooth meet in the area of the central
groove, thus forming a transverse ridge
o Fossae: Mesial and distal triangular fossae
o Pits and grooves: mesial and distal pits; mesiolingual, mesiobuccal, distolingual, and
distobuccal triangular grooves, and a central groove.

APPLIED ASPECTS
 Occasionally single root or three roots may be present.
 Sometimes the root(s) may penetrate the anterior portion of the maxillary sinus.
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