ORAL MUCOSA

LINING MUCOSA
• Three main types of oral mucosa according to
their primary function:
➢Masticatory mucosa
➢Lining mucosa
➢Specialized mucosa.
 LINING MUCOSA
• The larger part of the oral mucosa is
represented by lining mucosa, about 60% of
the total area.
• The lining mucosa of the oral cavity, which is
present on the lips, buccal mucosa, alveolar
mucosa, soft palate, underside of the tongue,
and floor of the mouth → has an epithelium
that is usually Nonkeratinized
• The oral mucosa varies considerably in its
firmness and texture.
• The lining mucosa of the lips and cheeks, is
soft and pliable, whereas the gingiva and hard
palate are – Firm & immobile.
• Fluid can be introduced easily into loose lining
mucosa, but injection into the masticatory
mucosa is difficult and painful.
• The epithelium of lining mucosa can attain a
larger thickness than that of masticatory
mucosa.
• The surface is thus flexible and able to
withstand stretching.
• The junction with connective tissue →
Smooth, although slender connective tissue
papillae often penetrate into the epithelium.
• The lamina propria → generally thicker than in
masticatory mucosa and contains fewer
collagen fibers, which follow a more irregular
course.
• Thus the mucosa can be stretched to a certain
extent before these fibers become taut and
limit further distention.
• Elastic fibres → control extensibility of mucosa

• As mucosa becomes slack during masticatory

movements, elastic fibres retract mucosa
toward muscle and prevent it from bulging
between teeth and being bitten.
ORAL EPITHELIUM
• Various cell layers in
nonkeratinized
epithelium are :

➢ Stratum basale
➢ Stratum spinosum
➢ Stratum intermedium
➢ Stratum superficiale
 Nonkeratinized Epithelium
• The basal and prickle cell layers of
nonkeratinized oral epithelium generally
resemble keratinized epithelium.
• Although the cells of nonkeratinized
epithelium are slightly larger, and the
intercellular bridges or prickles are less
conspicuous.
For this reason, some prefer not to use the term prickle cell
layer for nonkeratinized epithelium.
No sudden changes in the appearance of cells above the
prickle cell layer occur in nonkeratinized epithelium
Stratum basale:
• Single layer of cuboidal or columnar cells
above basement membrane containing
tonofilaments and other cell organelles.
• Site of cell division
Stratum Spinosum or Prickle cell layer
• Above the basal layer are several rows of large
ovoid cells containing dispersed
tonofilaments.
• Intercellular bridges or prickles are less visible.
Stratum intermedium:
• Slightly Flattened cells with numerous
dispersed tonofilaments and glycogen.
• On rare occasions, keratohyalin granules can
be seen, but they differ from the granules in
keratinized epithelium and appear as regular
spherical structures not associated with
tonofilaments.
• A new organelle appears, called the membrane-
coating or lamellate granule.
• These granules are small, membrane-bound
structures containing glycolipid.
• The granules appear to be circular with an
amorphous core
• The membrane-coating granules appear to fuse
with the superficial cell membrane and discharge
their contents into the intercellular space.
• They have a similar function as that of keratinized
( i.e – lipid rich permeability barrier) but the
contents have a different lipid composition and
do not form as effective barrier as that in
keratinized epithelia
Stratum superficiale:
• More flatten cells
• Numerous dispersed tonofilaments
• Reduced cell organelles
• Nucleus present
• Consists of cells filled with loosely arranged
filaments that are not dehydrated, thus form a
surface that is flexible & tolerant of compression
& distention
 Labial & Buccal mucosa
• Epithelium of Buccal mucosa is thick, non keratinized
stratified squamous, of about 0.5mm thickness.
• In lamina propria - long, slender and cylindrical or
conical papillae are seen.
• Dense fibrous connective tissue.
• Rich vascular supply and anastomosing capillaries.
• Submucosa has dense connective tissue with fat,
minor salivary gland and sometimes sebaceous
glands.
• Mucosa is firmly attached to underlying muscle by
collagen and elastin.
 Floor Of The Mouth
• Epithelium of floor of the mouth is very thin
(0.1mm), non keratinized type.
• Short, cylindrical papillae are present which
are widely separated.
• Extensive vascular supply with short
anatomosing capillary loops.
• In submucosa loose fibrous connective tissue
with fat and minor salivary gland is present.
 Soft palate
• Thin, nonkeratinized stratified squamous
epithelium.
• Lamina propria - Thick with numerous short
papillae.
• Highly vascular with well-defined capillary
network.
• Submucosa - Diffuse tissue containing
numerous minor salivary glands.
 Vermillion Border Of Lip
• Vermillion border of lip is the transitional zone
between the skin of lip and mucous
membrane of the oral cavity.
• This area is pink or red in color due to the thin
epithelium and high vascularity.
• This is the zone where keratinization ends, as
the skin of the lip is keratinized and the
mucous membrane of the lip is non
keratinized.