Q: What are the names of the bones in the mouth?
A: There are five principal bones in the mouth. The lower jawbone, which is a single bone, is called the mandible. The two bones that form the upper jaw are the maxilla, and the two bones that form the roof of the mouth, the palate, are the palatal bones. The mandible is the densest and strongest bone in the human skull. When your mouth opens and closes, only the mandible moves. The two bones of the upper jaw extend upward from the teeth to the bases of the cheek and nose bones.
Ideally, the arches of the maxilla and mandible should match closely in size and shape. But sometimes, because of genetics, they don't. This can result in malocclusion, which means a bite that doesn't fit properly. The palatal bones, like other bones of the cranium, are joined together by a thin strip of connective tissue called a suture. During infancy and childhood, the suture is flexible and stretches easily. It becomes stronger and more rigid in adolescence. This progression is an important consideration in orthodontic treatment.
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