Mouth and Swallowing Flashcards
(100 cards)
Function of lips?
Act as guard, can be opened and closed to seal
Function of teeth?
Give us a way of mechanically processing food
Function of hard palate?
mechanical processing
Function of soft palate?
- Muscular section - Acts as a control flap to seal off the larynx - Soft palate, together with the epiglottis, ensure that food and air don’t end up in wrong places
Where are the incisors?
Central and lateral incisors at front of mouth

What is the function of the incisors?
Cut off pieces of food (blade-like)
Function of cuspids (canines)?
Pointed teeth, spike food and allow us to tear them

How many roots do cuspids have?
Single root
Describe premolars and molars
Bicuspids (2 cusps) Molars (3 or 4 roots) Good at crushing and grinding food, jaw moves laterally

What is mastication?
Chewing
What are the muscles of mastication associated with?
Movements of the jaw (temporomandibular joint)
What are the 4 muscles of mastication?
- Masseter 2. Temporalis 3. Medial pterygoid 4. Lateral pterygoid
Embryologically, where do the muscles of mastication develop from?
The first pharyngeal arch
What are the muscles of mastication innervated by?
A branch of the trigeminal nerve –> the mandibular nerve
What is the most powerful muscle of mastication?
The masseter muscle
Describe the masseter muscle
- Quadrangular in shape, and can be split into two parts; deep and superficial. -The entirety of the muscle lies superficially to the pterygoids and temporalis, covering them.

Where does the masseter muscle originate from?
From maxillary process of the zygomatic bone. The deep part originates from the zygomatic arch of the temporal bone. Both parts attach to the ramus of the mandible.
What is function of masseter muscle?
Elevates the mandible, closing the mouth
Where does the temporalis muscle originate from?
The temporary fossa (a shallow depression on the lateral aspect of the skull) It condenses into a tendon, which inserts onto the coronoid process of the mandible.

What is the temporalis muscle covered by?
Tough fascia
What is the mandible?
The mandible, or lower jaw, is the bone that forms the lower part of the skull, and along with the maxilla (upper jaw), forms the mouth structure. Movement of the lower jaw opens and closes the mouth and also allows for the chewing of food.
What is the function of the temporalis muscle?
Elevates the mandible, closing the mouth. Also retracts the mandible, pulling the jaw posteriorly.
Describe the medial pterygoid muscle?
Has a quadrangular shape, with two heads; deep and superficial. It is located inferiorly to the lateral pterygoid

Where does the medial pterygoid muscle originate from?
The superficial head originates from the maxillary tuberosity and the pyramidal process of palatine bone. The deep head originates from the lateral pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone. Both parts attach to the ramus of the mandible, near the angle of mandible










