Oral and Nasal Cavities Flashcards
What does the term ‘fauces’ refer to?
the narrow passage from the mouth to the pharynx between the soft palate and the base of the tongue
What forms the lateral-superior boundary of the orbit?
Zygomatic process of frontal bone
What structure passes through the lesser palatine foramen?
lesser palatine nerves and vessels
Where is the sphenopalatine foramen? What structures pass through it?
It is on the posterior-lateral wall of the nasal cavity, just superior to the posterior end of the middle nasal concha. It is a major route of communication between the nasal cavity and the pterygopalatine fosa.
Contents: (3 things)
Sphenopalatine branch of maxillary artery, nasopalatine branch of maxillary nerve (CN V2), and superior nasal branches of maxilary nerve (CN V2)
Where is the scaphoid fossa? Why is it important?
At the root of the medial plate of the pterygoid process on the base of the skull. It is a small canoe-shaped fossa, just medial to the foramen ovale. It is the site of attachment of the tensor veli palatini muscle.
What forms the roof of the nasal cavity?
parts of the frontal, sphenoid and ethmoid bones
What forms the floor of the nasal cavity?
Hard palate - consists of horizontal plate of palatine bone and palatine process of the maxilla
What forms the medial wall of the nasal cavity?
The Nasal Septum - consists of Septal Nasal Cartilage, the Vomer, and perpendicular (vertical) plate of ethmoid bone
What forms the lateral wall of the nasal cavity?
Ethmoidal labyrinth, uncinate process, perpendicular plate of palatine bone, medial plate of pterygoid process of sphenoid bone, medial surface of the lacrimal bones, maxilla, and inferior concha.
What is the anterior (boney) border of the nasal cavity called?
Piriform recess
What is the medical term for nostrils?
Nares
What are the choanae?
posterior openings of the nasal cavities which communicate between the nasal cavity, anteriorly, and the nasopharynx posteriorly.
What structures pass through and around the cribiform plate?
Olfactory (CN I) passes through small holes in plate into superior meatus.
Anterior ethmoidal nerve (branch of opthalmic nerve CN V1) and accompanying vessels pass from the orbit into the cranial cavity then down into the nasal cavity through small holes immediately lateral to crista galli
(p1024-1025 grays)
To impress the lunch lady, a drunk Rudd tries to spit fire, using 180-proof Everclear. Immediately after spitting out the grain alcohol, it bursts into flames and he breathes in through his nose, causing minor burns in the anterior portion of his nasal cavity. What type of fibers relay the pain and what nerve do they travel in? If it were to burn all the way to the back of the nasal cavity, what nerve would transmit the pain?
GSA innervation for pain. The anterior portion of the nasal cavity is innervated by the anterior ethmoidal nerve (opthalmic division of CN V1).
In the posterior section of the nasal cavity, the nasopalatine nerve and lateral nasal branches ( both from maxillary division of CN V2) would transmit the pain via GSA.
What nerve provides GSA innervation to the anterior nasal cavity? What is it a branch of?
anterior ethmoidal nerve (Opthalmic division of CN V1)
What provides GSA innervation to the posterior nasal cavity? Name parent branch also.
nasopalatine nerve and the lateral nasal branches (both branches off the maxillary nerve, CN V2)
What nerve follows a course along the long axis of the vomer?
nasopalatine nerve (branch of CN V2)
What does the anterior ethmoidal nerve pass through to reach the nasal cavity?
cribiform plate (grays p1029)
What artery supplies the anterior nasal cavity?
anterior ethmoidal artery
What artery follows the course of the nasopalatine nerve? What area of the nasal cavity does it supply?
Nasopalatine nerve innervates posterior and lateral nasal cavity. The artery that follows it is the SPHENOPALATINE artery. It is the terminal branch of the maxillary artery.
Would a septal branch be on the medial or lateral side of the nasal cavity?
Medial - septum is the division between the two halves of the nasal cavity. Septal is medial
What is the origin of tensor veli palatini? Insertion?
Origin: scaphoid fossa, entire length of fibrous part of auditory tube, spine of sphenoid
Insertion: palatine aponeurosis
What innervates tensor veli palatini?
V3 branch to medial pterygoid
What are the actions of the tensor veli palatini?
tense the soft palate; open the auditory tube
Origin/Insertion of levator veli palatini?
Origin: petrous part of the temporal bone anterior to the carotid canal
Insert: palatine aponeurosis
What innervates levator veli palatini?
CN X via pharyngeal plexus
What are the actions of levator veli palatini?
Elevate soft palate
Origin/insertion of palatoglossus?
Origin: palatine aponeurosis
Insert: Lateral tongue