Anatomy of Palate, Pharynx and Larynx Flashcards
Also incl. salivary glands, tongue Use Cameron's cards too; you kind of gave up at larynx
Define the boundaries of the oral cavity
Superior Border: Hard and soft palates
Inferior Border: Muscles of the floor of the mouth
What can be seen on the “floor of the mouth”?
What muscles make up the floor of the mouth?
They form a muscular diaphragm
- Geniohyoid
- C1 via hypoglossal nerve
- Mylohyoid
- Innervated by CN V3
What are the three major salivary glands and where can they be found?
- Parotid Gland
- duct crosses face and secretes into mouth by upper 2nd molar
- Submandibular Gland
- duct enters floor of mouth and secretes via lingual caruncle
- Sublingual Gland
- lays in floor of mouth secretes via several ducts superiorly
How many minor saliva glands do humans have?
- 1000s in oral mucosa
- basal secretion (background and continuous) to keep mouth moist
What stimulates for salivation?
- Thought, sight, smell of food or presence of food in mouth
- Painful oral conditions e.g. teething or fractured mandible
Describe the innervation of salivary glands?
- Supplied by presynaptic parasympathetic secretomotor fibres converyed from the facial nerve…
- to the lingual nerve by the chorda tympani nerve, ….
- whcih synpase with postsynaptic neurons in the submandibular ganglion
Where is the foramen caecum found?
At the tip of the terminal groove
Where are the vallate papillae found?
In the anterior 2/3 of the tongue
along with foliate papillae & fungiform papillae
All 3 types have taste buds
Filiform papillae can also be found in anterior 2/3 but are for touch, temperature etc
Describe the thyoglossal duct cysts/ ectopic thyroid tissue
Thyroglossal duct cysts or ectopic thyroid tissue can be located at any position in the MIDLINE migratory path
- thyroid swellings move superiorly then inferiorly on swallowing due to attachment to the larynx
What are the extrinsic muscles of the tongue?
- Palatoglossus
- Styloglossus
- Genioglossus
- Hyoglossus
Which nerve supplies motor function to the tongue?
Hypoglossal Nerves (CN XII)
Describe the pathway of the hypoglossal (CN XII) nerve?
(connection to CNS; base of skull foramen; extracrainal part)
Connection to the CNS
- __via many rootlets that attach to the medulla oblongata
Base of Skull Foramen Part of Course
- occipital bone
- hypoglossal canal (anterior wall of foramen magnum)
Extracranial Part of Course
- descends in neck lateral to carotid sheath
- at level of hyoid bone it passes anteriorly towards lateral aspect of the tongue
- supplies most of the muscles of the tongue
How would you test the motor function of the tongue?
Ask the patient to STICK THEIR TONGUE OUT STRAIGHT
- if both CN XII’s are functional the tongue tip remains in the midline upon protrusion
- in unilateral CN XII damage the tongue tip will point towards the side of the injured nerve
What can be seen when someone opens their mouth?
Describe the osteological anatomy of the hard palate
Summarise the functions of the soft palate
functions as a trapdoor
- Stops food entering the nose during swallowing
- Directs air into the nose or the mouth during:
- speech
- vomiting
- coughing
- vomiting
- Helps to close off the entrance into the oropharynx during the gag reflex
List the 5 pairs of skeletal muscles of the soft palate
- Tensor veli palatini
- Levator veli palatini
- Palatopharyngeus
- Palatoglossus
- Musculus uvulae
What is the function and innervation of tensor veli palatini?
(a muscle of the soft palate)
CN V3
Tenses palatine aponeurosis
*skeletal muscles of the soft palate are all supplied by CN X except tensor veli palatini*
What is the function and innervation of Levator veli palatini?
(a muscle of the soft palate)
CN X
Lifts palatine aponeurosis
*skeletal muscles of the soft palate are all supplied by CN x except tensor veli palatini*