Oral Cavity Anatomy Flashcards

Flashcards reviewing the anatomy of the oral cavity, including its boundaries, divisions, borders, and key structures.

What are the boundaries of the oral cavity?

Anterior: Lips; Laterally: Cheeks; Floor: Oral diaphragm; Roof: Palate (hard and soft); Posterior: Continuous with the pharynx

How do the dental arches divide the oral cavity?

1. Oral vestibule (space between lips/cheeks and teeth). 2. Oral cavity proper (space behind teeth, bounded by palate and tongue).

Describe the borders of the oral cavity proper.

Anterior/Lateral: Teeth, alveolar processes, gums; Superior: Hard palate (concave) and soft palate; Inferior: Tongue, mylohyoid muscle, geniohyoid muscle, anterior belly of digastric muscle; Posterior: Opens into the pharynx via the oropharyngeal isthmus.

What structures form the external borders of the oral vestibule?

Lips: Muscular folds (orbicularis oris) with nerves, vessels, and glands; Cheeks: Continuous with lips; contain buccinator muscle, lined internally by mucosa, externally by skin/buccal fat pad.

What are the internal borders and key contents of the oral vestibule?

Internal Borders: Teeth and gums; Contents: 1. Opening of parotid duct (near upper molars). 2. Superior/inferior labial frenulum (connect lips to gums). 3. Maxillary tuberosity. 4. Buccal frenulum.

Why is the parotid duct opening clinically significant?

It’s vulnerable to blockage (e.g., salivary stones) and is located opposite the upper second molar.

Name the muscles associated with the lips and cheeks.

Lips: Orbicularis oris; Cheeks: Buccinator (essential for mastication and blowing).

Define: labial frenulum, buccal pad of fat.

Labial frenulum: Mucosal folds attaching lips to gums; Buccal pad of fat: Fat pad in cheeks (important in infants for sucking).