Where the maxilla sits in the skeleton
The maxilla is one of the pair of bones forming the upper jaw. They hold the upper teeth and form the front of the hard palate, the floor of each eye socket and the sides of the nasal cavity. The two maxillae meet in the midline, and the body of each holds the maxillary sinus, the largest of the paranasal sinuses. The upper teeth sit in its alveolar process.
Frequently asked questions
Which part of the skeleton is the maxilla in?
The maxilla is one of the bones of the skull and hyoid. This group covers the bones that enclose the brain, the bones that frame the face, and the hyoid at the front of the neck.
How many bones are in the skull?
The skull has 22 bones: eight cranial bones that enclose the brain and fourteen facial bones that frame the face. The hyoid in the front of the neck is a separate bone that forms no joint with any other bone.
Is there one maxilla or a pair?
The maxilla is paired: there is one on the left and one on the right, and this page covers both.
Where is the largest paranasal sinus?
In the maxilla: the maxillary sinus, inside the cheek between the upper teeth and the floor of the eye socket.
Other bones of the skull and hyoid
- Frontal bone
- Parietal bone
- Temporal bone
- Occipital bone
- Sphenoid bone
- Ethmoid
- Zygomatic bone
- Mandible
- Nasal bone
- Lacrimal bone
- Palatine bone
- Vomer
- Inferior nasal concha
- Hyoid bone
Compare with similar bones
Bone counts
By region
Read more
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Once the 3D model loads you can turn it and select each part.