Head & Neck Anatomy

Trachea

The windpipe; a tube that connects the pharynx or larynx to the lungs, allowing the passage of air.

Laryngopharynx

The posterior part of the pharynx; it that connects to the esophagus. inferior to the epiglottis and extends to the location where this common pathway diverges into larynx and oesophagus

Hard Palate

Thin horizontal bony plate of the skull, located in the roof of the mouth.

Ethmoid bone

Separates the nasal cavity from the brain

Cricoid Cartilage

Sits just inferior to the thyroid cartilage in the neck. Provide attachments for the various muscles, cartilages, and ligaments involved in opening and closing the airway and in speech production.

Uvula

The conic projection from the posterior edge of the middle of the soft palate

Oropharynx

Oral part of the pharynx, reaches from the Uvula to the level of the hyoid bone.

Vestibular fold

(Or false vocal cord) Lubricate the vocal folds with mucous and help prevent food from entering lower respiratory tract organs

Nasal vestibule

The most anterior part of the nasal cavity. Inside it are small hairs called vibrissae, which filter dust and other matter that you breathe in.

Lingual tonsils

Rounded masses of lymphatic tissue that cover the posterior region of the tongue. Fights infection and swells when infected

Nasal meatuses

Canals/openings in nose

Nasal Conchae

long, narrow and curled bone shelf (shaped like an elongated sea-shell) that protrudes into the breathing passage of the nose.

Soft Palate

Soft tissue constituting the back of the roof of the mouth. Responsible for closing off the nasal passages during swallowing, and closing off the airway.

Thyroid gland

Located inferior to cricoid cartilage. Controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body is to other hormones.

Posterior nasal apertures

It is the opening between the nasal cavity and the nasopharynx.

Palatine Tonsils

The tonsils that can be seen on the left and right sides at the back of the throat.

Thyroid cartilage

Forms the bulk of the anterior wall of the larynx, and serves to protect the vocal folds which are located directly behind it.

Epiglottis

Guards the entrance of the glottis, the opening between the vocal folds. It is normally pointed upward while breathing but when swallowing, elevation of the hyoid bone draws the larynx upward; as a result, this folds down. In this manner it prevents food from going into the trachea and instead directs it to the esophagus, which is posterior.

Frontal Sinus

Mucous-lined airspaces within the bones of the face and skull. Produces mucous.

Nasopharynx

the uppermost part of the pharynx. It extends from the base of the skull to the upper surface of the soft palate.

Pharyngeal Tonsil

(Or adenoids) are a mass of lymphoid tissue situated posterior to the nasal cavity, in the roof of the nasopharynx. Traps irritants from entering into your immune system

Eustachian tube

(also auditory tube or pharyngotympanic tube) is a tube that links the nasopharynx to the middle ear. It is a part of the middle ear.

Oesophagus

an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach.

Hyoid

Bone situated in the anterior midline of the neck between the chin and the thyroid cartilage

Vocal folds

are composed of twin infoldings of mucous membrane stretched horizontally across the larynx. They vibrate, modulating the flow of air being expelled from the lungs during phonation.

hypoglossal nerve

It controls tongue movements of speech, food manipulation, and swallowing

Trigeminal

Activates the muscles of mastication, the tensor tympani, tensor veli palatini,

tensor veli palatini

muscle in the head that tenses the soft palate.

Levator veli palatini

the elevator muscle of the soft palate in the human body. During swallowing, it contracts, elevating the soft palate to help prevent food from entering the nasopharynx. It is innervated primarily by the pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve (CN X).

Branches of Trigeminal nerve

Roof: Maxillary branch
Tongue and Floor: Mandibular

Tensor tympani

Its role is to dampen sounds, such as those produced from chewing.