The key anatomical landmarks of the maxilla that are important for complete dentures include: 1. Limiting structures like the labial and buccal frenums and vestibules that define the borders and should be relieved to avoid soreness. 2. Primary stress bearing areas like the horizontal palate and alveolar ridges that can withstand masticatory forces. 3. Secondary stress bearing areas like the palatal rugae and tuberosities that resist lateral forces and aid in vertical force distribution. 4. Relief areas like the incisive papilla, median palatine raphe, and fovea palatine that have delicate tissues and should be relieved to prevent trauma. Thorough knowledge

1. Landmarks of Maxilla
Dr. Yumna
Lecturer
Dental Hygiene and Technology

2. Introduction
• Aim of a prosthodontist is not only the meticulous
replacement of what is missing, but also preservation
of what is present
• Complete denture must function in harmony with
the remaining natural tissues.
• So for the success thorough knowledge of the
anatomical structures is must

3. Maxilla

4. Intra oral Landmarks of Maxilla
1. Limiting structures
2. Supporting structures
– Primary Stress bearing area
– Secondary Stress bearing area
3. Relief area

5. 1. Limiting
Structures

6. 1. Limiting Structures
• These are the sites that will guide us in having
optimum extension of the denture so as to engage
maximum surface area without encroaching upon
the muscle actions

7. 1. Limiting Structures
• Encroaching on these structures will result in the
– Dislodgment of the dentures
– Soreness of the area
– Decreased retention, stability and support

8. 1. Limiting Structures
• Labial frenum
• Labial vestibule
• Buccal frenum
• Buccal vestibule
• Hamular notch
• Posterior seal area

9. Frenum and Vestibule
• Fold of mucous
membrane at the midline
• Contains no muscles
• Properly relieved
• Vestibule is the area
bounded between cheek
and alveolar ridge

10. Hamular Notch
• Also called pterygomaxillary notch
• Distal extension of denture
• Identify the palatal seal area

11. Posterior Seal Area
• An imaginary line drawn across the palate that marks
the beginning of the soft palate when the patient
says ‘aaah’
• It extends from one hamular notch to the other
• Lie usually 2mm in front of fovea palatine

12. Posterior Seal area

13. 2. Supporting
Structures

14. 2. Supporting Structures
• Masticatory forces produce quite a pressure on the
underlying structures
• Every structure beneath the denture cannot take
such stress hence we need to know about the areas
which can bear the stress

15. 2. Supporting Structures
• They are divided into
– Primary stress bearing area
– Secondary stress bearing area

16. Primary Stress bearing area
• These are the areas which are most capable of taking the
masticatory load providing a proper support to the
denture
• Some desired properties of these areas are
– Sufficient fibrous connective tissue
– Presence of cortical bone
– Absence of structures which can get harm due top
stress

17. Primary Stress bearing area
• Horizontal portion of the hard palate, lateral to the
midline
• Slopes of the residual
alveolar ridge

18. Secondary Stress bearing area
• Areas that resist the lateral forces of occlusion and
can aid the resistance to the vertical forces
• They have increased vascularity
• These areas are
– Rugae
– Maxillary Tuberosity

19. Secondary Stress bearing area

20. 3. Relief
Areas

21. Relief Areas
• Areas which have fragile structures
• They can resorb easily
• They should be relieved to avoid trauma

22. Relief Areas
• They include
– Incisive papilla
– Median palatine raphe
– Fovea palatine

23. Incisive papilla
• Projection on the palate near the incisors

24. Median palatine raphe

25. Fovea palatine
• Area of compressible tissue
located anteriorly to the
vibrating line
• Tissue in this area is very thin