Maxilla

The maxilla, also known as the upper jaw, is a vital viscerocranium structure of the skull. It is involved in the formation of the orbit, nose and palate, holds the upper teeth and plays an important role for mastication and communication. The maxilla in animals is the upper fixed bone of the jaw formed from the fusion of two maxillary bones. The upper jaw includes the hard palate in the front of the mouth. The two maxillary bones are fused at the intermaxillary suture, forming the anterior nasal spine. This is similar to the mandible (lower jaw), which is also a fusion of two mandibular bones at the mandibular symphysis. The mandible is the movable part of the jaw.