Answer
If the teeth were lost several years before death, then the alveolus of the maxilla will be filled in and the maxilla will be smooth. If the teeth were lost after death, then there will still be deep sockets in the maxilla.
Work Step by Step
In a living person, if the teeth are removed, the person doesn't put stress on that part of the maxilla. This results in bone remodeling which fills in the sockets left by the teeth. In a dead person, this process doesn't happen.
