ORAL CAVITY

Skeletal Framework
 Hard palate:
Anterior two-thirds of palate.
Palatine folds of maxillae.
Palatines.
 Soft palate:
Posterior third of palate.
Fibromuscular fold.
 Teeth:
Maxillary.
Mandibular.
 Mucous Membranes
 Vestibule:
Between lips/cheeks and gums/teeth.
Leads to:
Oral cavity proper.
Receives:
Parotid duct:
Opposite upper second molar.
 Mucous Membranes
 Oral cavity:
Bounded by:
Teeth and gums.
Hard/soft palates.
Leads to:
Pharynx (oropharynx).
 Uvula
 Sensory Innervation of Mucous
Membranes
 CN V-2:
Greater and lesser palatine nerves.
Nasopalatine nerves.
 CN V-3:
Lingual nerve:
Floor of mouth.
Buccal nerve:
Vestibule and cheek.
 Motor Innervation to Mucous
Membranes/Glands
 Sympathetics:
See nasal cavity.
 Sublingual and submandibular glands:
Parasympathetics:
From:
Superior salivatory nucleus via CN VII.
To:
Submandibular/sublingual ganglion.
To:
Submandibular and sublingual glands.
 Motor Innervation to Mucous
Membranes/Glands
 Parotid gland:
Parasympathetics:
From:
Inferior salivatory nucleus via CN IX.
To:
Otic ganglion.
To:
Parotid gland.
 Innervation of Teeth
 Maxillary teeth:
Superior alveolar branches of CN V-2.
 Mandibular teeth:
Inferior alveolar branches of CN V-3.
 Innervation of Tongue
 General sensory:
Anterior two-thirds:
CN V-3 via lingual nerve.
Posterior one-third:
CN IX.
 Innervation of Tongue
 Taste:
Anterior two-thirds:
CN VII via chorda tympani.
Posterior one-third:
CN IX.
 Tongue
 Tongue is a mass of skeletal muscles covered
by mucosa.
 Location:
Anterior two-thirds in oral cavity proper.
Posterior third in oropharynx.
 Sulcus terminalis.
 Foramen cecum.
 Frenulum.
 All intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue
are innervated by CN XII.
 Oropharynx
 Extends:
From:
Soft palate above.
To:
Upper border of epiglottis below.
 Lies at level of second and third cervical
vertebrae.
 Oropharynx
 Contains:
Palatine tonsils:
Encapsulated.
Tonsilar branch of facial artery.
Glossopharyngeal nerve.
 Oropharynx
 Palatopharyngeus muscle:
Posterior border of hard palate to fascia on
lateral and posterior wall of pharynx and
thyroid cartilage.

Elevates pharynx during swallowing.

Vagus nerve (pharyngeal plexus).
 Oropharynx
 Palatoglossus muscle:
From soft palate to lateral surface of
posterior tongue.

Depresses palate.

Vagus nerve (pharyngeal plexus).

 Oropharynx
 Tensor veli palatini:
From scaphoid fossa of sphenoid bone and
cartilaginous part of auditory tube to soft
palate.

Tenses soft palate.

 Oropharynx
 Levator veli palatini:
From petrous temporal bone and
cartilaginous part of auditory tube to soft
palate.

Elevates soft palate.

 Uvula