ORAL

CAVITY
THE ORAL CAVITY IS CONVENIENTLY DIVIDED BY
1. THE ARCH FORMED BY THE TEETH AND GUMS
Oral INTO:
Vestibule
- lies between
the gums and
the teeth.
2. Oral Cavity
Proper
- lies behind
and within the
arch of teeth.
A. ORAL
Boundaries:
VESTIBULE
1. Anteriorly by
lips
2. Laterally by
cheeks
3. Posteriorly and
medially by
teeth and gums
Boundaries:
1. Anteriorly by the
lips,
2. Laterally by the
cheeks,
3. Superiorly by the
mucolabial and
mucobuccal folds,
and
4. Posteriorly and
medially by the
teeth and gums.
 B. ORAL CAVITY
PROPER
Boundaries:
1. Anteriorly laterally
by teeth and
gums
2. Superiorly by the
palate
3. Inferiorly by the
tongue and the
floor of the mouth
4. Posteriorly by
opening into the
pharynx
 The Sublingual Region

Characteristic
features:

1. Anterior 2/3
of the tongue,
2. Lingual
frenulum,
3. Lingual vein,
4. Sublingual
caruncle,
5. Sublingual
folds
6. Fimbriated
fold
III. FLOOR OF THE
MOUTH

Lingual
frenulum
(connects the
tongue to the floor
of the mouth)
Sublingual fold
(passes lateraly and
backwards from the
papilla and overlies
the sublingual
Papillae gland)
( openings of
submandibular
duct)sublingual compartment contains submandibular
Each
gland and dcuts, lingual and hypoglossal nerve and the
siblingul vessels.
 Gums and Gingivae
- consist of dense vascular fibrous
tissue which is covered by mucous
membrane and is attached to the
alveolar margins of the jaw.

- they are continuous with the mucosa

of the oral vestibule externally and
the palate or the floor of the mouth
internally.
Hard and Soft Palate

The palate forms the superior wall or

the roof of the oral cavity proper. It
is composed of the hard palate which
has an osseous base, and behind, a
soft palate composed of fibrous
tissue.
 HARD
o Covered by mucous
PALATE
membrane and
forms a partition
between the oral and
the nasal cavity

o The mucous Median

raphe

membrane and the

periosteum cannot
be separated
(mucoperiosteum)
- Covered by mucoperiosteum and forms
a partition between the oral and nasal
cavities.

- mucoperiosteum is thin in the middle

but thicker at the sides due to the
presence of numerous glands

- formed by the palatine process of the

maxilla and the horizontal plate of the
palatine bone.
 Characteristic Features:
1. Median raphe is a
longitudinal ridge
extending from the
uvula to the incisive
papilla.

2. Incisive papilla is a
small projection of
the mucosa indicating
the location of the
incisive foramen and
the anterior limit of
the median raphe.
3. Transverse palatine
process or palatine
rugae are about six
distinct elevation
crossing the anterior
part of the hard
palate.

4. Fovea palatine are

small inconstant pits
on the posterior
margin of the hard
palate on either side
of the median raphe.
 IX. SOFT
PALATE

Movable portion and is attached to the hard palate.

Is the posterior movable portion of the palate, extending from
one side of the pharynx to the other, and attached to the
posterior border of the hard palate
Palatine tonsil is also called Isthmus of Fauces or the
Tonsilar Sinus
 Characteristic Features:
1. Uvula is the median
conical projection marked
by median raphe.

2. Palatine arches are free

margins of the soft palate
and splitting into two
parts as they approach
the lateral wall.
a. Palatoglossal arch or
anterior pillar of fauces or
anterior palatine arch
encloses the
palatoglossus muscle.
b. Palatapharyngeal arch
or posterior pillar of
fauces or posterior
palatine arch encloses the
palatopharyngeus muscle.
 Levator Palatini
brings soft palate in
contact with posterior
pharyngeal wall,
preventing food from
going upward ino the
nasopharynx

Tensor Palatini
tenses the soft palate

Palatoglossus raises
the tongue

Uvulae muscle
Muscles of the Soft Palate
Muscle Origin Insertion Action

Palatopharyn- Palatal Lateral wall of Elevates the

geus aponeurosis the pharynx pharynx and
and posterior larynx
border of the Closes the
thyroid cartilage oropharyngeal
isthmus
Palatoglossus Palatal Dorsum and Closes the
aponeurosis lateral aspect of oropharyngeal
the tongue isthmus

Uvular Posterior nasal Uvula Raises the

spine uvula to help
seal oral from
nasal pharynx
Muscles of the Soft Palate
Muscle Origin Insertion Action

Levator veli Medial aspect Directly into Elevates

palatini of the auditory the palatine palate during
tube aponeurosis swallowing,
yawning

Tensor veli Lateral aspect Tendon hooks Tenses the

palatini of the under hamulus palate and
membranous and inserts opens the
portion of the into the palatal mouth of
auditory tube, aponeurosis auditory tube
scaphoid during
fossa of the swallowing
sphenoid bone and yawning
 Mobile
mass of TONGUE
muscles
lying on
the floor
of the
mouth
and
associated
with
functions
of taste,
chweing,
swallowin
g and
speaking
 Characteristic features:

1. Root is the lower portion of the posterior

half of the tongue through which the
extrinsic muscles, blood vessels and nerves
become connected with the organ. It is
attached to the mandible and the hyoid bone
2. Body anterior part of the tongue, made up
of interlacing skeletal muscles.

3. Margins are the lateral portion of the

tongue, free and blunt, in relation to the
gums and teeth.

4. Tip or apex is the pointed and free

anterior end.

5. Inferior surface is seen when the tongue

is turned upwards.
PAPILLAE OF THE
TONGUE

TASTE
DISTRIBUTION
6. Dorsum linguae is slightly convex antero-
posteriorly, divided into 2 parts by a V-
shaped groove the SULCUS TERMINALIS or
LINEA TERMINALIS.
Parts:
a. Palatine part is visible when the mouth is
opened, covered by papillae.
b. Median sulcus is a faint groove
separating the palatine part into
symmetrical parts.
c. Foramen caecum is a small pit at the
apex of the sulcus terminalis.
d. Pharyngeal part is the posterior 2/3s of
the tongue which contains serous glands
and nodules of lymphoid tissue LINGUAL
FOLLICLES.
e. Glosso-epiglottic fold is the reflection of
THE LINGUAL PAPILLAE
1. Vallate or circumvallate papillae are the
largest, numbering from 7-12, and are
arranged in front of the sulcus terminalis.
2. Fungiform papillae are fewer in number
and are limited to the tip and margins of
the tongue.
3. Filiform papillae are the smallest and the
most numerous, scattered all over the
anterior 2/3 of the dorsum of the tongue.
The Taste Buds
- are receptor organs for the special
sensation of taste. They are pale
oval bodies most of which are
located surrounding the vallate
papillae; a few are found on the
fungiform and foliate papillae. A few
taste buds are scattered through the
epithelium of the oral surface of the
soft palate, the posterior wall of the
pharynx, and the epiglottis.
The Muscles of the Tongue

Extrinsic muscles are responsible for

changing position of the tongue.
Muscle Origin Insertion Action

Genioglossus Genial tubercle Tongue Retract and

of mandible depress the
tongue
Hyoglossus Hyoid bone Posterior half of Depress the
the side of the tongue
tongue
Styloglossus Styloid process Whole length of Pull the tongue
of temporal the tongue upwards and
bone backwards
The Muscles of the Tongue
The Intrinsic Muscles:
1. Superior and inferior longitudinal
muscles
- Located close to the dorsum of the tongue
- Shorten the length of the tongue and to
curl the tip of the tongue and back.
2. Transverse muscles
- narrows the tongue.
3. Vertical muscles
- flattens the tongue.
 A Summary of the
Actions of the Tongue

1. Protrussion : genioglossus
2. Retrussion : hyoglossus,
styloglossus, genioglossus
3. Depression : genioglossus,
hyoglossus
4. Elevation : styloglossus
5. Shortening : longitudinal intrinsic
fibers
6. Narrowing : transverse intrinsic
fibers
CLINICAL NOTES
Paralyzed Tongue

A fractured mandible may damage

the hypoglossal nerve to pull the
tongue to the same side. General
anesthesia results in looseness, or
flaccidity, of muscles. A paralyzed or
flaccid tongue tends to fall back into
the airway, causing suffocation,
unless a patent airway is maintained.
Tongue Tie

A large lingual frenulum can limit

the mobility of the tongue and
interfere with speech. The
condition is easily repaired by
cutting the frenulum (lingual
frenectomy).
The Salivary Glands and
Accessory Glands of the
Oral Cavity
 The Salivary Glands of the
Oral Cavity

1. Parotid Gland

2. Submandibul
ar Gland

3. Sublingual
Gland
 Location and Relations
of the Parotid Gland
A. Anterior surface:
lies against the
posterior border of
the ramus of the
mandible

B. Posterior surface:
on the external
auditory meatus
and
sternocleidomasto
id muscle
B. Superficial surface: lobulated, covered by skin, fascia,
lymph nodes, and facial branches of the great auricular
nerve.

C. Deep surface: styloid process and its muscles as well

as under the mastoid and sternocleidomastoid muscles.
Capsule of the Parotid Gland
-The gland is wrapped in a fibrous capsule,
which is continuous with the deep investing
fascia of the neck.
-The stylomandibular ligament is an anterior
thickening of the capsule, which runs from
the styloid process to the angle of the
mandible.
-It separates the parotid gland from the
infratemporal fossa anteriorly and separates
the parotid gland from the submandibular
gland inferiorly and anteriorly.
The
Parotid
Duct

From the rostral border of the gland, crosses masseter muscle,

turns inward to pierce the fat pad of the cheek and then the
buccinator muscle, to open into the mouth opposite the
second maxillary molar. Approximately 5 cm. long.
 Clinical Considerations

1. A viral inflammation of the parotid

gland (mumps) causes it to swell,
resulting to pain on movement of
the jaw.
2. Abcesses or cysts of the gland may
result in pressure to the facial nerve
3. Stones or calculi in the duct can
block it, causing painful swelling of
the gland.
The Submandibular Gland
Type:
It is a mixed serous and mucous
secreting gland.

Location:
It is found partly in the submandibular
fossa below the mylohyoid muscle
and partly in the floor of the mouth.
Duct:
The submandibular duct (Whartons)
arises from the medial surface of the
gland and accompanies it under the
mlohyoid muscle; it passes diagonally
across the medial aspect of the
sublingual gland and adheres to it. It
opens at the sublingual papillae
(sublingual caruncle) beside the base
of the lingual frenulum.
The Sublingual Glands

The smallest of the

three major salivary
glands and rests upon
the mylohyoid muscle
in the sublingual fossa
close to the symphysis.
It is primarily a mucous
secreting gland.
Location:
The gland, indicated by the subligual fold
is found between the alveolus and the
anterior part of the tongue.

Ducts:
The gland has many lesser sublingual
ducts (Rivinis) that opens separately at
the floor of the mouth and a greater
sublingual duct (Bartholins) that opens on
the sublingual caruncle together with the
Whartons duct.
The Accessory Glands
Beside the main salivary glands,
many others exists: some in the
tongue, others around and in the
palatine tonsil between its crypts,
with the large number in the soft
palate, the posterior part of the hard
palate, the lips and the cheeks.
These are similar in structure to
larger salivary glands and are mainly
mucous type.