What is a spillway space or embrasure?

Definition – When two tooth in the same arch are in contact, their curvature adjacent to contact areas form spillway spaces also called embrasures. The spaces that widen out from the area ne contact labially or buccally and lingually are called labial or buccal and lingual inter proximal embrasures.

The embrasures are continuous with the inter proximal spaces between the tooth.
Above the contact areas incisally and occlusally, the spaces which are bounded by the marginal ridges as they join the cusps and incisal ridge are called as the incisal or occlusal embrasures.
Incisal or occlusal embrasures, and the labial or buccal and lingual embrasures are continuous.

The form of embrasures serve two purposes:
1. Provides a spillway for food during mastication.
2. Prevents food from being formed through the contact area.

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4 Responses to “What is a spillway space or embrasure?”

  1. Kim 31. Oct, 2008 at 4:15 pm #

    I am trying to figure out where a spillway is when carving restorations. Do you have a picture because mine are very vague.

  2. hana barakat 17. Dec, 2008 at 6:21 pm #

    what is the widest embrasure?

  3. Apeksha 27. Mar, 2009 at 4:09 pm #

    PLZ tell me between which teeth is the facial embrasure wider than the lingual and vice versa !

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  1. How is toothache caused? How to prevent and cure toothache? - 30. Aug, 2008

    [...] and improper brushing habits, lot of small food particles accumulate between the teeth in the embrasures and this can lead to formation of dental plaque and tooth decay later. Flossing also helps in [...]

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