Mouth

Anatomy

Entrance to alimentary tract, a mucomuscular tube from mouth to anus (sight, smell, hunger, anticipation have pre-ingestion roles); oval cavity lower part of head; anterior – lips, lateral – cheeks, inferior – tongue, floor of mouth, superior – hard palate, posterior – oropharynx (starts above at junction hard/soft palates, below behind circumvallate papillae tongue); in front of teeth, alveolar processes – oral vestibule, behind – oral cavity proper; roof bones – palatine processes maxillae, horizontal plates palatines; floor bones – mandible (hyoid bone not part of mouth but attached muscles integral to tongue, floor); Vestibule – lips, philtrum, upper/lower labial frenulums, opening of Stensen’s ducts (parotids, 2nd upper molars), gingiva (gum), teeth, alveolar processes, cheek mucosa, commissures (intermaxillary, superior, inferior, labial); cavity proper – tongue and lingual frenulum, opening of Wharton’s ducts (submandibular glands), hard palate and rugae, sublingual glands (under floor).

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