Anatomy Review: Facial Bones, Nasal/Olfactory System, Ear, Larynx, and Medicolegal Concepts

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering facial bones, nasal/olfactory structures, the ear, larynx, and medicolegal concepts from the lecture notes.

Maxillary bone

The upper jaw bone that forms part of the orbit and the roof of the mouth.

Zygomatic bone

The cheekbone; forms part of the orbit and lateral face.

Lacrimal gland and nasolacrimal duct

The tear-producing gland; tears drain via the nasolacrimal duct into the inferior nasal meatus.

Olfactory receptors

Sensory receptors located on the roof of the nasal cavity that detect odors (smell).

Cribriform plate

Part of the ethmoid bone with small perforations allowing olfactory nerve fibers to pass to the olfactory bulb.

Olfactory nerve (Cranial Nerve I)

Carries smell information from the nasal epithelium to the brain; fibers pass through the cribriform plate.

Olfactory bulb

Brain structure that receives input from olfactory receptor neurons.

Epiglottis

Leaf-shaped flap that closes the laryngeal inlet during swallowing to prevent aspiration and opens to allow air.

Cough reflex

Protective reflex that expels material from the airway when food or liquid enters the larynx.

Turbinates (conchae) and nasal meatuses

Nasal structures that slow, filter, and humidify inhaled air; meatuses are the passageways beneath the turbinates.

Tympanic membrane

The eardrum; separates the external ear from the middle ear and transmits sound vibrations.

External auditory meatus

The ear canal leading to the tympanic membrane.

Myringotomy

Surgical puncture of the tympanic membrane to relieve middle-ear pressure or drain fluid.

Thyroid cartilage

Prominent unpaired cartilage of the larynx; forms the Adam’s apple and supports the vocal cords.

True vocal cords

Lower vocal folds in the larynx that vibrate to produce sound.

False vocal cords (vestibular folds)

Upper folds in the larynx that protect the airway and do not primarily produce sound.

Medicolegal cases

Medical cases that intersect with law; doctors may need to document findings and testify in court.