Basic Structures of the Face and Oral Cavity

Question 1

What two sections of make up the skull? And how many bones in each?

Answer 1

The cranium (8 bones) and the Face (14 bones)

Question 2

Which 8 bones make up the Cranium?

Answer 2

1. Frontal
2. Parietal (2)
3. Occipital
4. Temporal (2)
5. Sphenoid
6. Ethmoid

Note: there are 8 bones but only 6 types because there are 2 Parietal and Temporal bones.

Question 3

Which 14 bones make up the face?

Answer 3

1. Zygomatic (2)
2. Maxillary (2) - top jaw bones
3. Palatine (2)
4. Nasal (2)
5. Lacrimal (2)
6. Vomer
7. Inferior conchae (2)
8. Mandible - lower jaw bone
   Note: only the Vomer and Mandible are single bones, the rest are doubles.

Question 4

What are the two dental arches?

Answer 4

1. Maxillary Arch (upper)

2. Mandibular Arch (lower) - u shaped bone that is strongest and largest in the face.

Question 5

What is the joint called that attaches the Mandible to the Cranium?

Answer 5

This would be the temporomandibular joint (TPJ).

Think of it this way. The mandible connects to the cranium at the temporal bones. Temporal and Mandibular become Tempor/o/ mandibular or Temporomandibular.

Question 6

What is the Oral Cavity?

Answer 6

• the Oral cavity or mouth is where dentistry is performed
• beginning of the digestive system
• contains sensory receptors and used to create speech
• poor oral health can affect other parts of the body

Question 7

The Lips

Answer 7

• surround the oral cavity
• the corners of the mouth (where the upper and lower lips meet) are the commissures
• aid in speech and ingestion
• consist of two muscular outer folds with an outer mucosa
• vermillion border is the junction of the face tissue and the mucous membrane of the lips

Question 8

What is the philtrum?

Answer 8

the indentation that extends from the nostrils to the vermillion border of the lips

Question 9

What are the bucca?

Answer 9

This is the inside of the cheeks that is covered by a moist mucous membrane

Question 10

What is the vestibule in the mouth?

Answer 10

• the space between the cheek and lips externally and the teeth and gums internally
• the facial surfaces (surface of the teeth facing the face) of the anterior and posterior teeth
• between the cheek and the gingiva is the buccal vestibule
• between the lips and gingiva is the labial vestibule

Question 11

What is the Frena.

Answer 11

The fold of mucous membrane that connects two parts and limits their movements

Question 12

Types of Frena

Answer 12

Buccal (cheeks) frena - connect the cheeks to the gingiva in the area of maxillary first molar.
labial (lips) frena - connect the tissue of the lips to the alveolar mucosa (tissue covering the bone)
lingual (tongue) frenum - limits posterior movements

Question 13

Distema

Answer 13

when the maxillary labial frenum is too thick or wide, it keeps the two front teeth from coming into contact.

Question 14

ankyloglossia

Answer 14

a congenital (present at birth) condition where the frenum is too short
it can be corrected by a frenectomy, a surgical procedure that cuts or removes the frenum

Question 15

Tongue

Answer 15

• the posterior (back) of the tongue is connected to the hyoid bone
• the anterior portion is attached only to the lingual frenum

Question 16

Taste buds/ Papillae

Answer 16

foliate papillae are the ridges on the side of the tongue
filiform papillae are in the middle of the tongue
fungiform papillae are around the filiform papillae
circumvallate papillae are in the back closer to the tonsils

Question 17

salivary glands

Answer 17

• produce saliva
• supplies an enzyme (amylase) that begins the digestive process and is the source of minerals
• there are 3 pairs:
  1. parotid glands in the cheeks
  2. submandibular glands under mandible
  3. sublingual glands under tongue

Question 18

The palate

Answer 18

Or the roof of the mouth is the horizontal structure that separates the mouth and nasal cavity.

The hard palate is the anterior (front) portion of the top of the mouth

The soft palate is the posterior (back) portion of the top of the mouth

Question 19

Hard palate

Answer 19

known as the roof of the mouth
covered with a thicker tissue than the inside of the cheeks
contain the rugae - folds of tissue (behind the maxillary (upper) anterior (front) teeth)
located behind the posterior central incisors is the incisive papilla

Question 20

Soft Palate

Answer 20

• behind the hard palate
• the uvula hangs off of it in the center of the throat
• moves upward when swallowing
• tissue in the back of the mouth (like the hard palate and uvula form the gag reflex area)

Question 21

Oral Mucosa

Answer 21

Two types:

1. Lining Mucosa
   - thin, delicate and easily injured
   - underside of tongue, cheeks, lips, vestibule
2. Masticatory mucosa
   - thicker and denser and attached tightly to the bone
   - designed to resist the pressure of chewing
   - gingivae (gums), hard palate, top of tongue

tastebuds could be considered a 3rd type

Question 22

Gingiva (Gums)

Answer 22

refers to the masticatory mucosa and tissue that surrounds the teeth

Question 23

Gingivitis

Answer 23

and inflammation of the gingival tissue that results in red, swollen and bleeding gums