Oral Cavity/Soft Palate Flashcards
What are the boundaries of the oral cavity?
The palatoglossal folds, the mouth, cheeks, palate, and mylohyoid muscle
How is the tongue anchored to the floor of the mouth?
Via the lingual frenulum
What feature is the demarcation between anterior and posterior on the tongue?
The sulcus terminalis
What are the four extrinsic muscles of the the tongue and what are their main functions?
Genioglossus–depression and protrusion
Hyoglossus–depression and retraction
Styloglossus–retraction and elevation
Palatoglossus–elevation
What are the orientations of the fibers of the intrinsic tongue and what function do they allow?
Superior to inferior; longitudinal, transverse
change of shape of the tongue and curling
What is the link to the foramen cecum?
It is an embryological link to the thyroid gland
What are the four main routes of lymphatics in the tongue?
The anterior tip drains to the submental.
The posterior region drains to the superior deep cervical
The lateral anterior portions drain to the submandibular
The middle portions drain to the contralateral inferior deep cervical nodes
What bones make up the hard palate?
The palatine process of the maxillary bone and the horizontal plates of the palatine bones
What are the three main foramina in the palate and what vessels do they convey?
1) Incisive–nasopalatine n., greater palatine artery
2) Greater palatine–greater palatine n. and a.
3) Lesser palatine–lesser palatine n. and a.
What are the main five muscles that control the soft palate and what are their functions?
1) Tensor veli palatini–tenses soft palate and opens Eustachian tube
2) Levator veli palatini–elevates the palate, near the cartilage of the Eustachian tube
3) Palatoglossus–elevates posterior tongue
4) Palatopharyngeus–tense the soft palate
5) Musculus uvulae–shorten the uvula and pull up
What are the nervous pathways for the gag reflex?
The glossopharyngeal nerve is responsible for sensation, the motor reflex arc runs through the vagus
