dental science - unit 3

the oral cavity

Anterior

in front

Posterior

behind

Medial

toward the middle

Lateral

away from the middle

Superior

above

Inferior

below

Maxilla

where the top or maxillary teeth are are anchored

Mandible

where bottom or mandibular teeth are anchor

Labial

surface of max and man teeth closest to lip

Buccal

surface of max and man teeth closest to inner cheek

Lingual

surface of man and max teeth closest to the tongue

Facial

surface closest to face

Mucosa

moist tissue linings of the oral cavity, respiratory and digestive system

What are the landmarks of the lips?

• philtrum

• tubercule

• labial commissures

• labiomental groove

• labial frenum

• buccal frenum

Describe the boundaries of the oral cavity.

Starts at the lips, ends at the palatine 

• Bounded by the lips anteriorly

• Cheeks laterally

• Floor of the mouth inferiorly

• Oropharynx posteriorly

• Palate superiorly

Identify the landmarks associated with the vestibule

Space between the teeth and inner mucosal lining of lips and cheeks

Consisting of:

• Vestibular fornix (includes mucobuccal fold and mucolabial fold)

  • Mucolabial fold - anterior segment of maxillary and mandibular arches where labial mucosa joins the alveolar mucosa

  • Mucobuccal fold - alveolar, buccal mucosa joins with cheek mucosa

Identify the landmarks associated with the oral cavity proper

Space on the tongue side within upper and lower dental arches

Consisting of:

• Hard palate

• Soft palate

• Tongue

• Floor of mouth

Hard & soft palate landmarks

• Incisive papilla

• Palatine rugae

• Uvula

• Palatine tonsil (tonsils)

• Palatine fovea

• Palatine raphe (median raphe)

Oral cavity diagram

Tongue diagram

Floor of tongue diagram

Define circumvallate papillae (part of the tongue)

• Big, mushroom-shaped, arranged in a V-shape at the back of the tongue.

Review: Define foliate papillae (part of the tongue)

• Low, parallel folds found on the sides/back of the tongue.

Define filiform papillae (part of the tongue)

• Tiny, hair-like projections covering the front ⅔ of the tongue; give it a rough texture.

Define fungiform papillae (part of the tongue)

• Mushroom-shaped, fewer in number, mainly toward the tip of the tongue; appear as small red dots.

Name & identify the location of major salivary glands

• Parotid

  • the largest, and provides 25% the total volume of saliva

  • location: just below & in front of the ear

  • secretion exits from the buccal mucosa, through the parotid duct od Stenson’s duct

• Submandibular

  • the second largest, & provides 60-65% of the total volume of saliva location

  • location: below & toward the posterior part of the body of the mandible

  • produces sereous & mucous fluid

• Sublingual

  • the smallest, & provides 10% of the total volume of saliva

  • location: in the anterior floor of mouth next to the mandibular canines

  • function is mostly mucous secretion

Name & identify the location of minor salivary glands

• Labial glands: Located in the upper and lower lips.

• Buccal glands: Located in the inner lining of the cheeks.

• Palatine glands: Located in the soft palate and hard palate.

• Lingual glands: Located in and around the tongue (including the anterior, mixed, and serous Von Ebner's glands near the back papillae).

• Molar glands: Located near the molar teeth in the back of the cheek

Commissural pits

bilateral or unilateral pits at corners of the mouth 

Fordyce granules

misplaced collections of sebaceous glands

Macroglossia

enlarged tongue

Ankyloglossia

short lingual frenum allowing tongue minimal movement

Fissured tongue

numerous small furrows or grooves on dorsal of tongue

Geographic tongue

looks like different countries, round smooth, shiny, red areas scattered 

Black hairy tongue

hairy appearance due to overgrowth of filiform papillae

Linea alba

white line along buccal mucosa (where we bite)

Diastema

space located between anterior teeth

Palatal tori

• bony growths that form on the center of the hard palate

found in 20% of population often inherited

Mandibular tori

-found in 7% of the population found in linguinal surfaces around the premolar area (super white on radiograph b/c it’s dense)

Cleft lip and/or palate

genetics/ birth defect where union of lip and/or palate is incomplete