THE FACE 341 



tine bone. This part corresponds quite closely to the orbital surface 

 which lies above it. The posterior edge is directed outward and back- 

 ward from the prominent inner angle. The external edge of the outer 

 surface bounds the series of tooth-sockets on the outer side and the 

 facial surface below. It begins in front by curving on the outside of 

 the cavity for the canine, then, made slightly sinuate by the tooth- 

 sockets, it is directed backward and outward, and ends in the external 

 angle of the maxillary tuberosity. The border, as a whole, is faintly 

 emarginate. 



At the extreme anterior end of the surface is the large alveolus 

 for the canine ; whereof the opening is regularly oval, the long axis 

 being directed from in front backward. A short interval, or diastema, 1 

 follows this opening, and then comes the small, oblong, obliquely placed 

 alveolus for the first premolar. This alveolus is very rarely double. 

 The second premolar is placed behind the first, and has two, rarely 

 three, alveoli ; of these the anterior is the smaller and lies somewhat 

 to the outside of the posterior. When there are three sockets, the 

 additional one lies on the inner side of the other two and between 

 them. The three succeeding alveoli belong to the third premolar. 

 The two smaller and anterior are placed side by side transversely to 

 the axis of the border, but the inner one is more posterior than the 

 outer. In outline these two are irregularly oval ; the long axis of the 

 outer one is directed backward and inward, and the long axis of the 

 inner is directed backward and outward. The outline of the third 

 socket is twice as long as wide, with its long axis in the long axis of 

 the bone. Placed with its long axis nearly at right angles to the inner 

 side of the posterior end of this third socket is the oval socket for the 

 small molar. This is often divided into two. 



The inferior surface is raised in sharp margins around the alveoli, 

 and then slopes upward and inward into the palatine plate. At the 

 posterior part, in front of the molar alveolus and on the inside of 

 the large alveolus for the posterior root of the last premolar, is a deep 

 depression. 



The inner or nasal surface of the body of the maxillary is of 

 small extent, and not easily separated from the inner surface of the 

 nasal process above nor from the upturned outer part of the upper 

 surface of the palatine process below. Its upper boundary is divided 



1 (Gr.) an interval. 



