1. What is the oral cavity?
The initial part of the digestive tract, extending from the oral fissure to the oropharyngeal isthmus.
2. What are the two main subdivisions of the oral cavity?
The oral vestibule and oral cavity proper.
3. What is the oral vestibule?
The space between the lips and cheeks externally and the teeth and gingiva internally.
4. What is the oral cavity proper?
The space internal to the dental arches, containing the tongue and communicating posteriorly with the oropharynx.
5. What forms the roof of the oral cavity?
The hard palate anteriorly and the soft palate posteriorly.
6. Which bones form the hard palate?
The palatine processes of the maxillae and the horizontal plates of the palatine bones.
7. What is the soft palate?
A mobile fibromuscular structure extending posteriorly from the hard palate that helps separate the nasopharynx from the oropharynx during swallowing.
8. What is the uvula?
A small midline projection hanging from the posterior free border of the soft palate.
9. Which muscle forms most of the muscular floor of the oral cavity?
The paired mylohyoid muscles.
10. Which muscles lie immediately superior to the mylohyoid muscles near the midline?
The paired geniohyoid muscles.
11. What forms the lateral walls of the oral vestibule?
The cheeks, supported primarily by the buccinator muscles.
12. Which muscle is principally responsible for closing and protruding the lips?
The orbicularis oris muscle.
13. What is the oral fissure?
The opening between the upper and lower lips that connects the oral cavity with the exterior.
14. What is the oropharyngeal isthmus?
The opening between the oral cavity proper and the oropharynx, bounded by the soft palate, palatoglossal arches, and tongue.
15. What is the palatoglossal arch?
A mucosal fold overlying the palatoglossus muscle that forms part of the lateral boundary of the oropharyngeal isthmus.
16. Where is the palatine tonsil located?
In the tonsillar fossa between the palatoglossal and palatopharyngeal arches.
17. What are the three principal types of oral mucosa?
Lining mucosa, masticatory mucosa, and specialized mucosa.
18. Where is masticatory mucosa found in the oral cavity?
On the gingiva and hard palate, where it resists mechanical forces during chewing.
19. Where is specialized oral mucosa primarily located?
On the dorsal surface of the tongue, where lingual papillae and taste buds are found.
20. What type of epithelium lines most of the oral cavity?
Stratified squamous epithelium, which may be keratinized or nonkeratinized depending on the region.
21. Where does the parotid duct open into the oral cavity?
Into the oral vestibule opposite the maxillary second molar tooth.
22. Where does the submandibular duct open?
At the sublingual caruncle on either side of the lingual frenulum.
23. Where do the ducts of the sublingual gland generally open?
Multiple small ducts open along the sublingual fold in the floor of the mouth.
24. What is the lingual frenulum?
A midline mucosal fold connecting the inferior surface of the tongue to the floor of the mouth.
25. Which nerve supplies general sensation to the anterior two-thirds of the tongue?
The lingual nerve, a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve.
26. Which nerve carries taste sensation from most of the anterior two-thirds of the tongue?
The chorda tympani branch of the facial nerve, traveling with the lingual nerve.
27. Which nerve provides general sensory innervation to most of the hard palate?
The greater palatine nerve, with the nasopalatine nerve supplying the anterior palatal region.
28. Which nerve provides general sensory innervation to the mucosa of the cheek?
The buccal nerve, a sensory branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve.
29. Which arteries provide major contributions to the blood supply of the oral cavity?
Branches of the facial, lingual, and maxillary arteries from the external carotid system.
30. Which lymph nodes receive much of the initial lymphatic drainage from the oral cavity?
The submental and submandibular lymph nodes, with drainage ultimately reaching the deep cervical nodes.
