Oral Cavity and Oropharynx

Question 1

What structures make up the roof of the mouth?

Answer 1

hard palate (alveolar arch, palatine process of maxilla and horizontal process of palatine bone) and soft palate

Question 2

What structures make up the floor of the mouth?

Answer 2

mandible and mylohyoid muscle

Question 3

What structure demarcates the separation between the anterior 2/3rds of the tongue and the posterior 1/3rd of the tongue?

Answer 3

the sulcus terminalis

Question 4

What is the foramen caecum?

Answer 4

a depression at the apex of the sulcus terminalis that is a remnant of the duct of the thyroid gland

Question 5

What are the 3 types of papillae on the tongue?

Answer 5

fungiform papillae over the anterior surface, valate papillae over the anterior border of the sulcus terminalis and foliate papillae on the sides

Question 6

What covers the posterior 1/3rd of the tongue?

Answer 6

the lingual tonsils

Question 7

What are the 4 extrinsic muscles of the tongue, what do they attach to, what is their action and what is their innervation?

Answer 7

styloglossus - attaches to styloid process and retracts the tongue, palatoglossus - attaches to palate and elevates the tongue, hyoglossus - attaches to hyoid bone and depresses the tongue, genioglossus -attaches to mandible and protrudes the tongue - all innervated by the hypoglossal nerve except palatoglossus which is innervated by vagus

Question 8

Which side will the tongue deviate to in a lesion of the hypoglossal nerve?

Answer 8

towards the side of lesion

Question 9

What are the intrinsic muscles of the tongue, what is their action and what is their innervation?

Answer 9

superior longitudinal, inferior longitudinal, transverse and vertical - all change the shape of the tongue and all are innervated by the hypoglossal nerve

Question 10

What is the innervation for general sensation in the posterior 1/3rd of the tongue?

Answer 10

glossopharyngeal nerve

Question 11

What is the innervation for taste sensation in the posterior 1/3rd of the tongue?

Answer 11

glossopharyngeal nerve

Question 12

What is the innervation for general sensation in the anterior 2/3rds of the tongue?

Answer 12

lingual nerve - branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve

Question 13

What is the innervation for taste sensation in the anterior 2/3rds of the tongue?

Answer 13

chorda tympani - branch of the facial nerve

Question 14

What nerve innervates the top teeth and therefore where would pain refer to?

Answer 14

the superior alveolar nerve - a branch of the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve - pain would refer to the maxillary sinus or other areas innervated by the maxillary division

Question 15

What nerve innervates the bottom teeth and therefore where would pain refer to?

Answer 15

the inferior alveolar nerve - a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve - pain would refer to the external auditory meatus or other areas innervated by the mandibular division

Question 16

Where is the opening of the duct of the parotid salivary gland?

Answer 16

between the lip and the gum opposite the second molar

Question 17

Where is the opening of the duct of the submandibular salivary gland?

Answer 17

lateral to the frenulum of the tongue

Question 18

Where is the opening of the duct of the sublingual salivary gland?

Answer 18

the floor of the mouth

Question 19

Why is sublingual a good site for drug absorption?

Answer 19

because it is highly vascular

Question 20

What are the borders of the oropharynx?

Answer 20

back of the alveolar arches in front, soft palate above, epiglottis below

Question 21

What is present on the lateral walls of the oropharynx?

Answer 21

palatine tonsils surrounded by the palatoglossal arch anteriorly and the palatopharyngeal arch posteriorly

Question 22

What is the role of the soft palate?

Answer 22

to seal off nasal cavity for suction or seal off the oral cavity for unimpeded breathing while you chew

Question 23

What are the 5 muscles which support the soft palate, what is their action and what is their innervation?

Answer 23

palatoglossus and palatopharyngeus depress the soft palate, tensor veli palatini and levator veli palatini elevate the soft plate and open the auditory tube and musculus uvulae elevates the uvula. they are all innervated by the vagus nerve except tensor veli palatini which is innervated by the trigeminal nerve

Question 24

What structures make up Waldeyer’s Ring?

Answer 24

pharyngeal tonsils, tubal tonsils, palatine tonsils and lingual tonsils