Oral Cavity and Tongue

Question 1

What is the roof of the oral cavity?

Answer 1

• Hard palate (anteriorly)

- Soft palate (posteriorly)

Question 2

What is the floor of the oral cavity?

Answer 2

• The muscular diaphragm of the mylohyoid muscles
• Geniohyoid muscles
• Tongue

Question 3

What is the anterior border of the oral cavity?

Answer 3

• The oral vestibule

Question 4

What is the posterior border of the oral cavity?

Answer 4

• The oropharyngeal isthmus

Question 5

What are the lateral borders of the oral cavity?

Answer 5

• Cheeks formed by the buccinator muscle

Lined by buccal mucosa

Question 6

Sensory innervation of the hard palate

Answer 6

• Greater palatine nerve
• Lesser palatine nerve

(Both of which are branches of V2)

Question 7

Sensory innervation of the soft palate

Answer 7

• Lesser palatine nerve

Question 8

Sensory innervation of the floor of the oral cavity

Answer 8

• Lingual nerve

Question 9

There are 2 pairs of arches at the back of the oral cavity, what are these called and what are their attachments?

Answer 9

• Palatoglossal folds (anterior): cover the palatoglossus muscle which attaches palate to tongue
• Palatopharyngeal folds (posterior): cover the palatopharyngeus muscle which attaches the palate to the pharynx

Question 10

Which 3 frenula exist in the oral cavity?

Answer 10

• Superior labial frenulum
• Inferior labial frenulum
• Lingual frenulum

Question 11

Which duct emerges in the oral cavity close to the lingual frenulum?

Answer 11

The submandibular duct (Wharton’s duct)

Question 12

What feature is present between the palatoglossal and palatopharyngeal folds?

Answer 12

The palatine tonsils

Question 13

What seperates the anterior 2 thirds of the tongue from the posterior third?

Answer 13

Vallate papillae (in a V shape)- sulcus terminalis

Question 14

What feature exists in the middle of the vallate papillae?

Answer 14

Foramen cecum (location which the thyroid gland develops from embryologically)

Question 15

Taste and general sensation to the posterior third of the tongue is provided by which nerve?

Answer 15

The glossopharyngeal nerve

Question 16

General sensation to the anterior 2 thirds of the tongue is provided by which nerve?

Answer 16

The lingual nerve

Question 17

Taste sensation to the anterior 2 thirds of the tongue is provided by which nerve?

Answer 17

Chorda tympani (branch of facial nerve)

Question 18

4 types of papillae of the tongue

Answer 18

• Vallate papillae: separating root of tongue from body
• Foliate papillae: sides of tongue
• Fungiform papillae: mushroom shaped
• Filiform papillae: most numerous, cone shaped

Question 19

What are the 4 extrinsic muscles of the tongue?

Answer 19

• Genioglossus
• Palatoglossus
• Styloglossus
• Hyoglossus

Question 20

Describe the genioglossus muscle

Answer 20

• Large fan shaped
• Originates from superior mental spines
• Inserts onto the entire length of the tongue

Question 21

Describe the palatoglossus muscle

Answer 21

• Emerges from a superior aspect
• Originates from the inferior surface of the palatine aponeurosis
• Inserts onto the posterior aspect of the tongue

Question 22

Describe the styloglossus muscle

Answer 22

• Connects styloid process to the tongue
• Originates from styloid process of temporal bone
• Inserts onto side of tongue

Question 23

Describe the hyoglossus muscle

Answer 23

• Scoops up underneath tongue
• Originates from the hyoid bone
• Inserts onto side of tongue

Question 24

What are the 4 intrinsic muscles of the tongue?

Answer 24

• Superior longitudinal muscle
• Inferior longitudinal muscle
• Transverse muscle
• Vertical muscle

Question 25

Describe the function of the intrinsic muscles of the tongue.

Answer 25

Provide the bulk of the tongue itself, and are contained within the tongue.

Question 26

Describe the superior longitudinal muscle

Answer 26

Fibres run from the front of the tongue to the back of the tongue.
Shortens tongue.

Question 27

Describe the inferior longitudinal muscle

Answer 27

Fibres run below the superior longitudinal muscle.

Shortens and retracts tongue.

Question 28

Describe the transverse muscle

Answer 28

Fibres run side to side.

Elongates and protrudes the tongue.

Question 29

Describe the vertical muscle

Answer 29

Located between the superior and inferior longitudinal muscle.
Flattens and broadens the tongue.

Question 30

What is the innervation of both the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the tongue?

Answer 30

Motor innervation for all muscles except palatoglossus muscle: hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)

Motor innervation for palatoglossus muscle: vagus nerve (CNX)

Question 31

Describe the venous drainage of the tongue

Answer 31

• Deep lingual vein drains the dorsum and sides of the tongue
• Dorsal lingual vein drains the tip of the tongue

These 2 veins join and drain into the lingual vein (which runs alongside the lingual artery)

Question 32

Describe the arterial supply of the tongue

Answer 32

• Lingual artery runs between the hyoglossus and genioglossus muscle to supply the tongue
• There are also deep and dorsal lingual arteries

Question 33

Describe the sublingual gland

Answer 33

• Located more anterior than submandibular gland
• Sublingual duct (duct of Rivinus) enters oral cavity through sublingual fold
• Supplied by glandular branches of sublingual artery

Question 34

Describe the submandibular gland

Answer 34

• Has a superficial and deep lobe separated by the mylohyoid muscle
• Wharton’s duct enters oral cavity through sublingual papilla lateral to lingual frenulum
• Supplied by glandular branches of facial artery