Maxilla in a Coronal Section of the Skull, Anterior View

Description

Centered in an anterior coronal section, the paired maxillae are highlighted across the midface, meeting at the intermaxillary suture to form the anterior hard palate and the margins of the piriform aperture. Superiorly, the frontal processes rise to the infraorbital margin, contributing to the orbital floor just inferior to the orbital rim, while laterally the maxilla articulates with the zygomatic bone at the zygomaticomaxillary region. Medially, the maxillary contribution to the lateral wall and floor of the nasal cavity frames the inferior meatus region, with the alveolar processes and dental alveoli positioned inferiorly for the maxillary dentition. Adjacent facial landmarks such as the frontal bone superiorly and the mandible inferiorly provide orientation without competing for emphasis. Anterior coronal anatomy of the maxilla matters because it matches how clinicians think about midface buttresses and surgical corridors when working around the infraorbital foramen and the maxillary sinus. That infraorbital margin and adjacent orbital floor are common sites of blowout fracture extension, and the relationship to the alveolar process helps explain why Le Fort I and II fracture lines destabilize the midface and alter occlusion. A tight, orthogonal slice also supports teaching the boundaries of the nasal cavity and the maxillary contribution to the piriform aperture, a key landmark for rhinoplasty planning and anterior nasal packing. Use this artwork for head and neck anatomy curricula, oral and maxillofacial surgery teaching files, and facial trauma chapters that need a clean anterior reference for the upper jaw (maxilla) in cross section. It also suits radiology correlation in coronal CT discussions, where the infraorbital rim, orbital floor, and alveolar process are read in the same plane. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.