Mandibular Molars
● Largest and strongest mandibular teeth
MANDIBULAR MOLARS
Mandibular Molars
● -develops from either 4 or 5 lobes
– present 4 or 5 or more cusps
● -crowns are roughly quadrilateral, wider
mesiodistally than buccolingually
(opposite is true for maxillary molars)
● Three on each side of the mandible
● Resemble each other in function but
differs in size, occlusal design, number
of cusps, root length and position.
Mandibular First Molar
● -largest tooth in the mandibular arch
● -develops from 5 lobes
- 2 buccal lobes, 2 lingual lobes and 1 distal lobe
● Has 5 well-developed cusps:
● MB cusp; DB cusp
● ML cusp; DL cusp
● Distal cusp
 Mandibular First Molars Mandibular First Molar
● Crown is Has two well-developed roots:
– relatively short cervico-occlusally
– one mesial and one distal
– widely separated at the apices
– mesiodistal dimension is 1mm greater than
buccolingual.
● Roots are very broad buccolingually
– With M and Distal fluting that provides anchorage
– MD and BL dimension provide a broad occlusal
form – M root broad, curved distally
– D root rounder, broad at cervix, pointed in a distal
direction

Mand Left First Molar

Buccal Aspect
Mandibular First Molar
-crown outline is
First evidence of calcification At birth trapezoidal

Enamel completed 2 ½ to 3 years -CEJ regular, dipping

apically towards root
Eruption 6 to 7 years bifurcation

Root completed 9 to 10 years -Buccal cusps are

relatively flat (typical
characteristic)
Mand Left First Molar Mand Left First Molar
Buccal Aspect Buccal Aspect
- Lingual cusps are MB , DB and D cusp
higher - ridges show less
curvature
- All five cusps are
visible buccally. Distal cusp – is small, more
- MB cusp pointed / sharper, cusp
- DB cusp ridge very round
- ML cusp
- DL cusp MB cusp- widest MD
- D cusp DB cusp- almost as wide

Mand Left First Molar Mand Left First Molar

Buccal Aspect Buccal Aspect

Two buccal grooves Two buccal grooves

-Mesiobuccal dev’tal g. -Distobuccal Dev’tal G.

*between DBc and Dc
*between MBc and DBc
*shorter *longer
*ends in a pit (Buccal Pit) *not pitted
*terminates at the center *terminates at the
*situated a little mesial to cervical 3rd
root bifurcation buccally *parallels with axis of
distal root
Mand Left First Molar
Buccal Aspect
Mesial outline somewhat
concave at cervical 3rd ;
convex at the contact
area
Distal outline straight
above CEJ
Contact areas at the
middle 3rd of the crown
(MCA slightly higher than
DCA)
Mand Left First Molar
Buccal Aspect
-mesial root
*curved mesially halfway
then curves distally, blunt
apex
-distal root
*less curved, more
pointed apex, its axis in
distal direction
Mand Left First Molar
Buccal Aspect
-buccal surface of crown is
smoothly convex at occlusal
3rd
-developmental depression
is noticeable at the middle
3rd
-prominently convex
buccal cervical ridge
(BCR)
Mand Left First Molar
Buccal Aspect
Point of bifurcation between
roots is approx. 3mm from
cervical line.
Presence of deep dev’tal
depression on the buccal
root trunk, no groove / fold
Mand Left First Molar
Lingual Aspect
-crown is trapezoidal
-Lingual cusps are pointed,
cusps ridges are high,
separated by a short LDG
ML cusp- widest, cusp tip
sometimes higher
DL cusp- almost as wide
* Both cusps ridges form
obtuse angles of approx. 100
degrees.
Mand Left First Molar
Lingual Aspect
CEJ is irregular, tends to
point sharply toward root
bifurcation
M outline is convex fr CEJ
to MMR
D outline is straight above
CEJ; convex as it outlines
the D cusp
Mand Left First Molar
Lingual Aspect
Lingual dev’tal gr. –
demarcation between 2
lingual cusps, for shorter
distance only
Some will not show a
groove, instead a depression
Distal cusp at lower level
than ML cusp
Mand Left First Molar
Lingual Aspect
Roots appears longer by 1mm
lingually.
Root trunk
* narrower/ slender
mesiodistally on lingual than
buccal.
*slightly longer, approx.
4mm below CEJ
Mand Left First Molar Mand Left First Molar
Mesial Aspect Mesial Aspect

Crown is rhomboidal
-has lingual tilt in relation -Mesial cusps
to the root axis line

2 cusps and one root * MLc – longer

are visible and pointed
* ML c and MB c
* mesial root *MBc- shorter
and flat/rounded
-BL measurement of
crown is greater
mesially than distally

Mand. Left First Molar Mand. Left First Molar

Mesial Aspect Mesial Aspect
MMR
Buccal outline –convex *high
above CEJ, outlines the *confluent with MCRs of MBc
and MLc ,
BCR; becomes less
*no tubercle
convex or flat as it
*approx 1mm below cusp tip
approaches MBc
CEJ is irregular, maybe straight
Lingual outline is straight buccolingually, higher lingually
above CEJ than buccal

Crown surface is convex and

smooth
Mand. Left First Molar
Mesial Aspect
MESIAL ROOT
*is wider than distal root, with
broad concavities on its root
length
*appears to be two narrow
roots fused together with thin
hard tissue between
Mand Left First Molar
Distal Aspect
-DMR is short, cusps
ridges dips sharply in a
cervical direction
-CEJ irregular and straight
BL
-DBDG is visible
Mand Left First Molar
Distal Aspect
-crown is rhomboidal
-crown is shorter distally than
mesially, buccal and lingual
surface converge distally
-greater part of occlusal
surface visible
-all cusps visible:
DLc, DBc and Dc
MLc and MBc
Mand Left First Molar
Distal Aspect
Distal root
* is narrower BL
* slightly shorter
* more rounded apical 3rd
* tapers to a sharper apex.
* lingual border of mesial
root is visible.
 Mand Right First Molar Mand Right First Molar
Occlusal Aspect Occusal Aspect

-crown somewhat hexagonal -Major cusps :

-crown dimension is greater

MD than BL (opposite for max
molars)
-BL measurement of crown is
greater Mesial than Distal
MBc slightly larger
MLc & DLc- almost equal
in size
DBc – smaller
Distal cusp is smallest &
still a functioning cusp

*Max Molars – 3 major cusps

Mand Molars – 4 majors cusps

Mand Right First Molar

Mand Right First Molar Occusal Aspect
Occusal Aspect

All mandibular molars are OCCLUSAL ANATOMY

quadrilateral in form.
CUSPS
Sometimes, exhibit four mesiobuccal
cusps; fusion of DB and mesiolingual
Distal cusps distobuccal
distolingual
All mandibular molars distal
have four major cusps.
 Mand Right First Molar Mand Right First Molar
Occusal Aspect Occusal Aspect

OCCLUSAL ANATOMY OCCLUSAL ANATOMY

CUSPS RIDGES: TRIANGULAR RIDGES:

Mesiobuccal- MCR & DCR MBTR
Mesiolingual- MCR & DCR DBTR
Distobuccal- MCR & DCR
MLTR
Distolingual- MCR & DCR
DLTR
Distal – MCR & DCR
DTR
MARGINAL RIDGES:
Mesial marginal ridge TRANSVERSE RIDGES:
MBTR + MLTR = TR
Distal marginal ridge
DBTR + DLTR = TR

Mand Right First Molar Mand Right First Molar

Occusal Aspect Buccal Aspect

OCCLUSAL ANATOMY
OCCLUSAL ANATOMY
FOSSA:
GROOVES: Major Fossa
*Central Fossa (circular),
Central Dev’tal gr.
Minor Fossa:
Mesiobuccal dev’tal g. *MTF
Distobuccal dev’tal g. *DTF
Lingual dev’tal g.
-PITS:
Central DP
Mesial DP
* exhibits supplemental, Distal DP
accidental (short and long)