Oral Cavity: lips, cheeks, gums & hard palate

What is the function of the oral cavity and how is it carried out? (4)

Function:

• Prehension (aid by lips and tongue)

• Selection (due to taste buds on tongue)

• Mastication (by muscles, teeth, tongue and mandible)

• Insalivation (by salivary glands)

Location of the oral cavity

Extends from the lips to the entrance into pharynx

Which bones support the oral cavity?

• Incisive bone

• Palatine

• Alveolar processes of axilla

• Mandible

Oral cavity is bounded rostrally by?

The lips

Oral cavity is bounded laterally by?

The cheeks

What is the roof of the oral cavity?

Hard palate and soft palate

What is located ventral to the oral cavity?

Tongue

What is under the oral cavity’s apex?

Floor of oral cavity (includes muscles and glands)

Caudally the oral cavity communicates with?

Oropharynx

What are the 2 types of spaces that are formed when the jaw is closed

• Vestibule: space between lips/cheek and teeth/gums

• Oral cavity proper: space inside the teeth

How does the 2 spaces (vestibule & oral cavity proper) communicate?

Via diastema (interdental space between incisors and cheek teeth)

What connects the oral cavity with the nasal cavity?

2 narrow incisive ducts

Describe the mucous membrane of oral cavity

Pink and well supplied with blood vessels

Submucosa of oral cavity contains which glands?

Serous or mucous glands known as

• Labial glands (lips)

• Buccal glands (cheek)

• Lingual glands (tongue)

Lips

• Assist in?

• Attach to which bones

• What are the 3 layers

• Upper lip of carnivores and small ruminants is divided by

Assist in: Sucking and prehension of food

Attach to which bones:

• Incisive bone

• Incisive part of mandible

What are the 3 layers:

• External layer (skin)

• Middle layer (consist of muscles, tendons, CT and adipose tissue)

• Internal layer (labial mucosa)

Upper lip of carnivores and small ruminants is divided by:

• Philtrum which is a distinct median cleft

Cheeks #e1a500

• Location

• Caudal part of cheek contains which muscle

• What are the 3 layers

• In ruminants it forms

Location: From lateral wall of buccal vestibules

Caudal part of cheek contains which muscle: Massester muscle

What are the 3 layers:

• Skin

• Intermediate layer of glands and muscles

• Buccal mucosa

In ruminants it forms: Cone-shaped cornified papillae that is present on lips

Gums

• Location

• In ruminant, it’s modified to form

Location: Encircles neck of teeth

In ruminant, it’s modified to form: Dental pad (replaces upper incisors)

Hard palate

• What

• In horse contains

• Divided into

• Mucosa is absent of?

What: Touch mucosa

In horse contains: Rich venous plexus

Divided into:

• Median palatine raphe

• Transversely directed palatine ridges

Mucosa is absent of: Glands