The motion produced by a muscle and the nerve that contracts it.
Alveolar bone
The supporting bone of the teeth; the sockets.
Ameloblasts/odontoblasts
The cells that produce enamel/dentin.
Brainstem
The center of the brain involved with vital functions; site of the emergence of the cranial nerves.
Carotid arteries
The main supplying vessels of the head and neck.
Cementum
The hard, thin layer of tissue that covers the root of the tooth. The apical portion contains cementocyte (blasts).
Cerebellum
The motor-coordinating center of the brain.
Cerebrum
The highest center of the brain, involved in conscious thought.
Circle of Willis
A connection of arteries around the pituitary gland that connects both arterial supplies to the brain.
Connective tissue
A major tissue type consisting of tissues that support or connect, and have much matrix with fibers and few cells.
Cranial bones
The bones of the head, less the mandible frontal, parietal, occiptal, temporal, sphenoid, maxilla, palatal, vomer, lacrimal, zygoma, nasal, ethmoid.
Cranial nerves
The 12 pairs of nerves emerging from the brain for various motor and sensory functions of the head and neck area, similar to the spinal nerves.
Deglutition
Swallowing.
Dental papilla
The mesoderm under the enamel organ that derives the dentin, odontoblasts, and pulp.
Dental sac
The mesoderm that surrounds the enamel organ and derives the periodontal tissues and cementum.
Dentin
The inner hard tissue of the tooth, full of tubules with the cell processes of odontoblasts in them.
Deposition/resorption
The cycle of laying down of hard tissue and its removal.
Derivative
An organ, system, or body structure that comes from development of the germ layers.
Ectoderm/mesoderm/endoderm
The three primary germ cell layers from which all body systems are derived in the embryo.
Enamel
The hard, outermost layer of the crown of the tooth consisting of enamel rods.
Enamel organ
The ectodermal structure from which is derived the enamel of the teeth.
Epidermis
The outermost epithelial layer of the skin, consisting of many layers of squamous cells in four strata, with inclusions of special cells such as melanocytes and keratinocytes.
Epithelium
A major tissue type consisting of tissues that line or cover organs, have many cells and little matrix, and are avascular.
Fascia
The connective tissue sleeves that surround muscles and organs, protecting and giving gliding surfaces between structures. The spaces between fascia may fill with fluids during infection.
Frena
The fold of mucosa in the oral cavity.
Gingiva
A firm, coral pink mucosa (keratinized) that surrounds the teeth like a collar.
Hyoid bone
A "free-floating" bone of the anterior neck, under the mandible; attachment point for all the supra and infrahyoid muscles.
Jugular veins
The vessels that drain the head and neck.
Keratinzed/nonkeratinized
Terms to indicate the presence of the protein keratin within mucosal tissue. Keratin provides strength.
Major salivary glands
The parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands.
Mandible
The jawbone.
Mastication
The chewing cycle.
Matrix
The cell product that surrounds or lies next to the cells that make it.
Maxillary artery/pterygoid plexus
The vessels that supply the jaws and teeth.
Muscles of facial expression
Thin muscles directly below and inserting into the facial skin that control the expressions of the face plus buccinator of the cheek. All are innervated by cranial nerve VII.
Muscles of mastication
The masseter, temporalis, media pterygoid, lateral pterygoid muscles. Paired and attaching to the mandible, innervated by cranial nerve V, to aid in mastication (chewing).
Muscles of the tongue
Intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue that aid in swallowing and speech, innervated by cranial nerve XII.
Origin/insertion
The names for the two attaching ends of muscles so that they may produce an action. The origin is on the stable side, whereas the insertion is on the mobile one.
Palate
Consists of a hard (bony) portion and a soft (muscular) portion dividing the nasal and oral cavities and acting as a seal during swallowing.
Paranasal sinuses
The hollow cavities within the cranial bones that surround and empty into the nasal cavity.
Periodontal ligament (PDL)
The soft, fibrous connective tissue between tooth and socket that attaches the tooth.
Principal fibers
The large collagen bundles that attach the teeth to the socket in the PDL.
Processes
The convex areas of developing embryonic or fetal tissue; also convex areas in bone.
Pulp
The innermost soft connective tissue of the tooth.
Remnant
A tissue in the adult left over from its development, which usually has no function but gives evidence of that development procedure.
Sinuses of the brain
The large veins of the brain.
Suprahyoid/infrahyoid muscles
The "strap" muscles of the anterior neck that aid in swallowing and depression of the mandible, and surround and attach to the hyoid bone.
Tissue
A group of similar cells that function together to perform a function.
TMJ
The temporomandibular joint; a unique fibrous coated, dual action/cavity joint between the jaw and skull.
