1. The Oral Cavity
Dr. Muznah Sultan Lecturer
Dept. of Oral Biology
DIDC-DOW

3. The oral cavity is conveniently divided by
the arch formed by the teeth and
gums into:
1. Oral Vestibule
- lies between the
gums and the teeth.
2. Oral Cavity Proper
- lies behind and
within the arch of
teeth.

4. The Oral Vestibule

5. Boundaries:
1. Anteriorly: the lips,
2. Laterally: the cheeks,
3. Superiorly: the
mucolabial and
mucobuccal folds,
and
4. Posteriorly and
medially: the teeth
and gums.

6. The Oral Cavity Proper

7. Boundaries:
1. Anteriorly and
laterally: the teeth
and gums,
2. Superiorly:the palate
(hard and soft),
3. Inferiorly: the tongue
and the floor of the
mouth
4. Posteriorly: the
opening into the
pharynx.

8. The Sublingual Region
Characteristic
features:
1. Anterior 2/3
of the
tongue,
2. Lingual
frenulum,
3. Lingual
vein,
4. Sublingual
caruncle,
5. Sublingual
folds

10. Gums and Gingivae
- consist of dense vascular fibrous tissue
which is covered by mucous membrane
and is attached to the alveolar margins of
the jaw.
- they are continuous with the mucosa of
the oral vestibule externally and the palate
or the floor of the mouth internally.

11. Hard and Soft Palate
The palate forms the superior wall or the
roof of the oral cavity proper. It is
composed of the hard palate which has an
osseous base, and behind, a soft palate
composed of fibrous tissue.

12. The Hard Palate

13. - Covered by mucoperiosteum and forms
a partition between the oral and nasal
cavities.
- mucoperiosteum is thin in the middle but
thicker at the sides due to the presence of
numerous glands
- formed by the palatine process of the
maxilla and the horizontal plate of the
palatine bone.

14. The Soft Palate

15. Is the posterior movable portion
of the palate, extending from
one side of the pharynx to the
other, and attached to the
posterior border of the hard
palate.

16. Muscles of the Soft Palate
Muscle Origin Insertion Action
Palatophary
n-geus
Palatal
aponeurosis
Lateral wall of
the pharynx
and posterior
border of the
thyroid cartilage
Elevates the
pharynx and
larynx
Closes the
oropharyngeal
isthmus
Palatogloss
us
Palatal
aponeurosis
Dorsum and
lateral aspect of
the tongue
Closes the
oropharyngeal
isthmus
Uvular Posterior nasal
spine
Uvula Raises the
uvula to help
seal oral from
nasal pharynx

17. Muscles of the Soft Palate
Muscle Origin Insertion Action
Levator
veli
palatini
Medial aspect
of the auditory
tube
Directly into
the palatine
aponeurosis
Elevates
palate during
swallowing,
yawning
Tensor
veli
palatini
Lateral aspect
of the
membranous
portion of the
auditory tube,
scaphoid fossa
of the
sphenoid bone
Tendon hooks
under hamulus
and inserts
into the palatal
aponeurosis
Tenses the
palate and
opens the
mouth of
auditory tube
during
swallowing
and yawning

18. The Tongue

19. OA mobile mass of muscles lying
on the floor of the mouth and
associated with the function of
taste, chewing, swallowing, and
speaking.

20. Characteristic features:
1. Root is the lower portion of the posterior
half of the tongue through which the
extrinsic muscles, blood vessels and
nerves become connected with the organ.
It is attached to the mandible and the
hyoid bone

21. 2. Body anterior part of the tongue, made
up of interlacing skeletal muscles.
3. Margins are the lateral portion of the
tongue, free and blunt, in relation to the
gums and teeth.
4. Tip or apex is the pointed and free
anterior end.
5. Inferior surface is seen when the
tongue is turned upwards.

22. The Lingual Papillae

23. 1. Vallate or circumvallate papillae are the
largest, numbering from 7-12, and are
arranged in front of the sulcus
terminalis.
2. Fungiform papillae are fewer in number
and are limited to the tip and margins of
the tongue.
3. Filiform papillae are the smallest and
the most numerous, scattered all over
the anterior 2/3 of the dorsum of the
tongue.

24. The Taste Buds
- are receptor organs for the special
sensation of taste. They are pale oval
bodies most of which are located
surrounding the vallate papillae; a few are
found on the fungiform and foliate
papillae. A few taste buds are scattered
through the epithelium of the oral surface
of the soft palate, the posterior wall of the
pharynx, and the epiglottis.

25. The Muscles of the Tongue
Extrinsic muscles are responsible for
changing position of the tongue.
Muscle Origin Insertion Action
Genioglossus Genial
tubercle of
mandible
Tongue Retract and
depress the
tongue
Hyoglossus Hyoid bone Posterior half
of the side of
the tongue
Depress the
tongue
Styloglossus Styloid
process of
temporal bone
Whole length
of the tongue
Pull the
tongue
upwards and
backwards

26. The Muscles of the Tongue
The Intrinsic Muscles:
1. Superior and inferior longitudinal
muscles
- Located close to the dorsum of the
tongue
- Shorten the length of the tongue and to
curl the tip of the tongue and back.
2. Transverse muscles
- narrows the tongue.
3. Vertical muscles
- flattens the tongue.

29. A Summary of the
Actions of the Tongue
1. Protrussion : genioglossus
2. Retrussion : hyoglossus,
styloglossus, genioglossus
3. Depression : genioglossus,
hyoglossus
4. Elevation : styloglossus

30. Tongue Tie
A large lingual frenulum can limit the mobility
of the tongue and interfere with speech.
The condition is easily repaired by cutting
the frenulum (lingual frenectomy).

31. The Salivary Glands
and Accessory
Glands of the Oral
Cavity

33. The Salivary Glands of the
Oral Cavity
1. Parotid Gland
2. Submandibula
r Gland
3. Sublingual
Gland

34. The Accessory Glands
Beside the main salivary glands, many
others exists: some in the tongue, others
around and in the palatine tonsil between
its crypts, with the large number in the soft
palate, the posterior part of the hard
palate, the lips and the cheeks. These are
similar in structure to larger salivary
glands and are mainly mucous type.

35. Thanks!!