Anatomy of the Pharynx and Mandible

Vocabulary practice flashcards identifying the posterior pharyngeal musculature, pharyngeal subdivisions, and anatomical landmarks of the mandible.

Pharyngeal Constrictor Muscles

The circular muscles forming the posterior and lateral walls of the pharynx (comprising the superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictors) that overlap each other and insert at the posterior midline into the median pharyngeal raphe to constrict the pharynx during swallowing.

Divisions of the Pharynx

The three continuous anatomical subdivisions of the pharyngeal tube: the nasopharynx (situated behind the nasal cavity from the skull base to the soft palate), the oropharynx (situated behind the oral cavity from the soft palate to the epiglottis), and the laryngopharynx (hypopharynx, extending from the epiglottis to the cricoid cartilage and esophagus).

Mandible

The bone of the lower jaw consisting of a horizontal body and two vertical rami; key circled anatomical landmarks include the condylar process (articulates with the temporal bone at the temporomandibular joint), coronoid process (attachment point for the temporalis muscle), mandibular notch (concavity between the condylar and coronoid processes), and mental foramen (opening for the mental nerve and blood vessels).