Oral Cavity. 



330. Frontal View of the Opened Oral Cavity. 



The oral cavity is divided by the closed rows of teeth 

 into the Vestibulum - oris and the Cavum oris proper. The anterior opening 

 forms the Rima oris, bounded . by the lips, Ldbia, which are connected 

 at their inner surfaces to the gums, Gingivae, by folds of mucous 

 membrane, the Fraenulum Idbii superioris et inferioris. 



The lips and inner part of the oral cavity are lined by mucous 

 membrane, which becomes continuous with the tongue, on both sides, 

 and on the under surface from the Fraenulum linguae, and wnich sepa- 

 rates the mouth from the pharynx at the border of the hard palate, by 

 means of a pendent fold, the soft palate, Palatum molle. 



The soft palate (Velum pendulum palati) constitutes a moveable 

 partition between the mouth and pharynx, directed obliquely downwards 

 and backwards ; hanging from the middle of its lower free border is the 

 Uvula, and arching outwards and downwards from the base of the uvula 

 on each side are the arches or pillars of thesoft palate, Arcus 

 palatini, the anterior of which, running downwards, outwards and forwards 

 to the tongue, is called Arcus palato-glossus, the posterior, downwards, out- 

 wards and backwards to the sides of the pharynx, Arcus palato-pliaryngeus. 



