Dental Anatomy and

Physiology for Clinical

Dental Technicians

with Marnie Hayward

Salivary glands

Parotid

Submandibular

Sublingual

Salivary glands position

Parotid glands

Lie below ear and behind angle of

mandible

Produce thin serous saliva which

flows into mouth via Stensons ducts

which lie opposite maxillary 2nd molars

Submandibular glands

Lie against inside of mandible close to

the molars and premolars

Produce a muco-serous saliva which

flows into mouth via Whartons’s ducts

Sublingual glands

Lie further forward than

submandibular glands, either side of

lingual frenum

Produce thick mucous saliva which

flows into mouth through 15-20 ducts

called ducts of Rivinus

In your learning sets....

List the functions of saliva

Functions of saliva

Aids Digestion contains enzyme

ptyalin (amylase)

which begins

digestion of starches

Bolus formation softens food making it

easier to swallow

Lubrication keeps mouth moist,

aiding clear speech

Cleansing washes and cleans

the mouth

Functions of saliva

Buffer stabilises changes in

acid/alkali balance

Solvent helps to dissolve

solids before they can

be tasted

Antibacterial action To protect oral cavity

The Tongue

Dorsal surface

Ventral surface

The Tongue

Highly muscular structure

Covered by mucous membrane

Lies on mylohyoid muscle in floor of mouth

Attached to floor by thin fold of mucous

membrane called the lingual frenulum

Covered with small fungiform and filiform

papillae on upper (dorsal) surface – taste buds

8-12 larger vallate papillae form inverted V

shape towards base

Functions of the Tongue

Mastication (chewing)

Deglutition (swallowing)

Speech

Taste

Papillae (taste buds) and

taste areas?

Taste detection

Tongue can detect 5 basic tastes

Sweet

Sour

Salt

Bitter

Umami (savoury)

No evidence to suggest different areas

detect different tastes

Muscle From Function

Genioglossus Mandible Protudes tongue,

depresses centre

Hyoglossus Hyoid bone Depresses tongue

Styloglossus Styloid process Elevates and retracts

tongue

Palatoglossus Soft palate Depresses soft palate

Elevates back of tongue

Extrinsic muscles of the tongue

Intrinsic muscles of the tongue

4 paired muscles

Originate and insert within tongue

Lengthen and shorten

Curl and uncurl apex and edges

Flatten and round edges

Oral cavity and beyond…

The

Oral

Cavity

Cross section of molar

Enamel

Protective outer covering of the crown

Hardest substance in the body

Doesn’t contain any nerves/blood vessels

Insensitive to pain

Cannot undergo repair - damage caused by

decay/injury is permanent

Microscopically, consists of long solid rods -

prisms

Microscopic appearance of

enamel surface and dentine

Dentine

Forms interior of crown and root

Highly sensitive to pain

Protected from painful stimuli by enamel of crown and cementum of root

Contains dentinal tubules which make it slightly elastic – like a shock absorber

Softer than enamel, less mineralised

Cementum

Calcified substance covering root of

tooth

Formed by cementoblasts

Anchors tooth to bone via periodontal

ligament

Cementum under the microscope

Pulp

Purely soft tissue unlike enamel, dentine and cementum

Nerves and blood vessels enter root apex through apical foramen and pass up through root to pulp chamber

Contains odontoblasts (dentine forming cells) in outermost layer, next to dentine

Odontoblasts contain dentinal fibrils which pass into dentine through tubules

Secondary dentine is produce slowly throughout life

Reparative dentine is produced quickly in response to damage

Dental pulp

Contains odontoblasts (dentine forming cells) in outermost layer, next to dentine

Odontoblasts contain dentinal fibrils which pass into dentine through tubules

Supporting structures - bone

The alveolar process is a ridge of bone containing

the tooth sockets

Jaws bones contain dense outer layer (compact

bone) and softer interior (spongy/cancellous bone)

Lamina dura is compact bone lining of tooth socket

– a well defined lamina dura is an indicator of good

periodontal health

Normal lamina dura

Thickening of lamina dura

due to periodontal disease

Supporting structures -

gingiva

Firmly attached to underlying alveolar bone

Fits around neck of each tooth like tight cuff

Gingival crevice - shallow crevice present between tooth surface/gum margin

Interdental papilla - triangular mound of gum in between teeth

Gingival margin

Gingival

crevice Free gingiva

Attached

gingiva

Alveolar

bone

Periodontal

ligament

Interdental

papilla

Supporting structures –

periodontal ligament

Soft fibrous tissue which attaches each tooth to its socket (cementum to lamina dura)

Acts as a shock absorber

Contains nerves and blood vessels

Bundles of fibres also attach gingival margin to tooth/alveolar bone and each tooth to its neighbour

Tooth and supporting structures

Now in your learning sets,

label the diagram of the oral

cavity.......