Medical Terminology you need to know

The Lip

Lip has two parts, part covered by skin and the pink portion called the vermilion. The junction line between the skin and the vermilion is made of thickened tissue called white roll. Vermilion has outer dry part called as dry vermilion and inner wet part called as wet vermilion. The junction line of dry and wet vermilion is called the red line.

In the central part of upper lip two vertical ridges surround a central depressed area. These vertical ridges are called philtral ridges and the depressed area is called the philtral dimple, together these structures form the philtrum.

The white roll in the area of the philtrum forms a V shaped structure called the cupids bow. The tip of the V also the lowermost part of cupids bow is called the base of cupids bow and the top ends at each side are the apex( pleural:apaces) of cupids bow.

The muscle in the lip that makes it move is called the orbicularis muscle. The tissue covering the inside of lip on rest of the oral and nasal cavity is called mucosa.

The Nose

The central most and the most prominent part of the nose is called the tip of the nose, the side walls are called the ala( pleural alae) of the nose and the curved structures on the side are the alar wings. The central partition in the nose separating both nasal cavities is called the septum. The external bridge of skin covered tissue separating the both nostrils is called the collumella. The cartilages or hard tissues that help shape the tip are called the lower lateral cartilages(LLC) and were previously called as alar cartilages a term which has been given up though some old texts may still use it.

The Gums

The gums are called the gingiva or the alveolus and constitute the teeth bearing part of the jaws.

The Palate

The palate is the roof of the oral cavity and separates oral from nasal cavity. The part of palate in front is hard and called the hard palate and the part in the back is soft and called the soft palate. The soft palate ends at the back as a U shaped structure which hangs down the throat and is called the uvula

The Jaws

The lower jaw is called the mandible and the upper jaw is called the maxilla. The part of upper jaw which carries the 4 incisors and part of the palate immediately behind them is called the pre maxilla owing to its separate development in the womb as the baby is formed during pregnancy.