ORAL CAVITY

OUTLINE
• INTRODUCTION
• SKELETAL FRAMEWORK
• WALLS – CHEEK
• FLOOR
• GATEWAYS
• ROOF – PALATE
• ORAL FISSURES AND LIPS
• TEETH AND GINGIVAE
• OROPHARYNGEAL ISTHMUS
INTRODUCTION
• An inlet for digestive system

• Involved with initial processing of food

• Aided by secretions from salivary glands

• Manipulates sounds produced by the larynx

SKELETAL FRAMEWORK
• Maxillae – Roof: alveolar, palatine processes
• Palatine bones – Roof: horizont plate, pyramidal pro
• Sphenoid bone – Roof: pterygoid process, spine
• Temporal bone – attachment: styloid process
• Cartilaginous part of the pharyngotympanic tube
• Mandible – alveolar arch, muscle attachment
• Hyoid bone – Floor
WALLS: THE CHEEKS
• The cheeks form the walls of the oral cavity

• Are made up of the following:

• Skin

• Fascia

• Buccinator

• Oral mucosa
 Buccinator
• A muscle of facial expression

• ORIGIN – pterygomandibular raphe, alveolar pr of max

• INSERTION – Modiolus blending with orbicularis oris

• INNERVATION – Buccal br of facial n

• ACTION – holds cheek against alveolar arch

FLOOR
• Mainly by three structures:

• Muscular diaphragm – Mylohyoid muscles

• Geniohyoid muscles

• Tongue

• Also – salivary glands and ducts

Mylohyoid Muscles
• Muscular diaphragm

• Defines inferior limit of the floor of oral cavity

Geniohyoid Muscles
• A pair of cord – like muscles

• Immediately superior to mylohyoid muscles

Gateway into Floor of Oral Cavity
• Oropharyngeal Triangle – bounded by:
• Superior – superior constrictor
• Inferior – middle constrictor
• Anterior – mylohyoid
• Structures of upper neck/ infratemporal fossa –
• to and from floor of oral cavity
• Hyoglossus, styloglossus, lingual a and v, lingual
n, hypoglossal n, glossopharyngeal n, lymphatics,
submandibular salivary gland
ROOF - PALATE
• Made up of two parts:

• Hard palate

• Soft palate
Hard Palate
• Separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavities
• Palatine processes of maxillae form the anterior ¾
• Horizontal plates of palatine bones form posterior ¼
• Anterior/ lateral limit – upper alveolar arch
• Posterior limit – soft palate
• Mucus membrane possesses:
• Transverse palatine folds (palatine rugae)
• Palatine raphe
• Incisive papilla
Soft Palate
• Continues posteriorly from the hard palate
• Depressed to help close the oropharyngeal
isthmus
• Elevated to separate nasopharynx from
oropharynx
• Formed/ moved by four muscles covered by
mucosa
• UVULA –
• A small tear-shaped muscular projection hanging
from the posterior free margin of the soft palate
tensor veli palatini
• ORIGIN – scaphoid fossa

• INSERTION – palatine aponeurosis

• INNERVATION – V3 via n to medial pterygoid

• ACTION – tenses soft palate, opens

pharyngotympanic tube
Levator veli palatini
• ORIGIN – petrous part of temporal bone

• INSERTION – palatine aponeurosis

• INNERVATION – pharyngeal br of vagus n

• ACTION – elevates soft palate

Palatopharyngeus
• Underlies palatopharyngeal arches

• ORIGIN – palatine aponeurosis

• INSERTION – pharyngeal wall

• INNERVATION – pharyngeal br of vagus n

• ACTION – depresses soft palate, elevates

pharynx
Palatoglossus
• Underlies the palatoglossal arches

• ORIGIN – palatine aponeurosis

• INSERTION – lateral margin of tongue

• INNERVATION – pharyngeal br of vagus n

• ACTION – depresses palate, elevates back of

tongue
Musculus Uvulae
• ORIGIN – posterior nasal spine

• INSERTION – connective tissue of uvula

• INNERVATION – pharyngeal br of vagus n

• ACTION – elevates and retracts uvula

Arteries
• Maxillary a – greater palatine br

• Facial a – ascending palatine br

• Ascending pharyngeal a – palatine br

Veins
• Pterygoid plexus of veins

• Pharyngeal plexus of veins

• Facial vein
Lymphatics
• Deep cervical nodes
Innervation
• Greater palatine nerve

• Lesser palatine nerve

• Nasopalatine nerve
Oral Fissure
• Slit – like opening bw lips

• Connects oral vestibule to the outside

• Can be opened or closed

Lips
• Entirely soft tissues
• Lined externally by skin and internally by mucosa
• PHILTRUM –
• shallow external vertical groove on upper lip
• MEDIAN LABIAL FRENULUM –
• Fold of mucosa in inner surface of upper lip,
• Connecting the lip to adjacent gum
Oropharyngeal isthmus
• Opening bw oral cavity and oropharynx formed
by:
• Palatoglossal arches – laterally
• Soft palate – superiorly
• Sulcus terminalis (of tongue) - inferiorly
• It can be closed by:
• Elevation of posterior aspect of tongue
• Depression of palate
• Medial movement of palatoglossal arches
Teeth and Gingivae
• Teeth -
• are attached to alveoli on mandible & maxilla
• 32 teeth in adults distinguished as:
• Incisor: front teeth , one root, chisel – like, cutting
• Canine: longest, single pointed cusp, grasp
• Premolar: 1 or 2 roots, two pointed cusps, grind
• Molar: 3 roots, 3 to 5 cusps, grind
Teeth and Gingivae …
• Gingivae or gums –
• Specialized regions of oral mucosa
• Surround teeth and adjacent alveolar bone
Teeth and Gingivae …
• Two set of teeth develop:

• Deciduous teeth ("baby" teeth)

• Btw 6/12 to 2yrs, 20 in number i.e. 2I,1C,2M

• Permanent teeth ("adult" teeth)

• Emerges around 6 yrs

 Arteries
• Inferior alveolar artery – br of maxillary a. divides into:

• Incisor a and mental a

• Posterior superior alveolar artery – br of maxillary a

• Anterior superior alveolar artery – infarorbital a; max. a

veins
• Inferior alveolar veins

• Superior alveolar veins

• Pterygoid plexus of veins

Lymphatic
• Submandibular nodes

• Submental nodes

• Deep cervical nodes

Innervation
• Inferior alveolar nerve – br of V3. it gives:

• Incisive br and

• Mental nerve

• Anterior superior alveolar nerve- br of V2

• Middle superior alveolar nerve – br of V2

• Posterior superior alveolar nerve – br of V2

Innervation of gingivae
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