Directional Terms Flashcards
Toward the head
Superior
Away from the head
Inferior
Toward the front
Anterior
Toward the back
Posterior
Toward the midline
Medial
Away from the midline
Lateral
Nearest the axial skeleton, usually used for limbs
Proximal
Farthest from axial skeleton
Distal
Outer, closer to surface
External
Inner
Internal
External to that which it acts upon
Extrinsic
Internal to that which it acts upon
Intrinsic
Inner surface of the cranial vault
Endocranial
Outer surface of the cranial vault
Ectocranial
Closer to the surface
Superficial
Far from the surface
Deep
Just below the skin
Subcutaneous
Palm side of hand
Palmar
Sole of foot
Plantar
The “hollow” of hand or foot
Volar
Top of foot, back of hand
Dorsal
The ____ boundary of the parietal bone is the sagittal suture
Superior
The ____ surface of the calcaneus is the part of the bone that rests nearest to or touches the ground
Inferior
The sternum is _____ to the vertebral column
Anterior
The occipital bone is on the ____ (and inferior) end of the skull
Posterior
The sternum is ____ to the adjacent distal ribs
Medial
The thumb occupies a _____ position relative to the little finger in standard anatomical position
Lateral
The _____ end of the humerus is the end toward the shoulder
Proximal
The _____ end of the terminal foot phalanx fits into the front end of a shoe
Distal
The rib cage is _____ to the lungs and heart
External
The _____ surface of the parietal is marked by a set of grooves made by blood vessels that lie external to the brain
Internal
Flexor pollicis longus, a muscle that flexes the thumb, is considered an _____ hand muscle because the belly of the muscle us found deep in the forearm, not in the hand itself
Extrinsic
Flexor pollicis brevis, another muscle that flexes the thumb is considered _____ hand muscle because the muscle is located entirely in the hand
Intrinsic
The brain fills the _____ cavity
Endocranial
The temporal line is on the _____ surface of the parietal
Ectocranial
The ribs are _____ compared to the heart
Superficial
The dentine core of a tooth is _____ to the enamel
Deep
The anteromedial surface of the tibia is _____
Subcutaneous
The _____ digits bear fingertips
Palmar
The _____ surface of the foot contacts the ground during the normal walking
Plantar
_____ is synonymous with palmar and plantar
Volar
The _____ surfaces of the hands and feet often bear hair
Dorsal
Toward the midline of the dental arch where the central incisors contact each other, this point falls on the sagittal (midline) plane
Mesial
The anterior face of the molar and premolar crowns and the medial face of the canines and incisors are the _____ surfaces
Mesial
Away from the midline point of the dental arch where the central incisors contact each other
Distal
The _____ half of a premolar is the posterior half of tooth
Distal
The ____ surface of the canine tooth touches the distal surface of the second incisor, while the distal surface of the canine tooth touches the mesial surface of the first premolar
Mesial
Toward the tongue
Lingual
The ____ surfaces of the tooth crowns are usually hidden from the view when a person smiles
Lingual
Away from the tongue, visible when someone smiles
Buccal/Labial
Along the toothrow
Mesiodistal axis (MD)
Perpendicular to mesiodistal
Buccolingual (BL) axis
Mesiodistal (MD)
Tooth length
Buccolingual (BL)
Tooth “breadth”
Chewing surface of the tooth
Occulusal
At or around the neck of the tooth
Cervical
Toward the tip, apex of the root
Apical
