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Questions and Answers
Where is the pterygopalatine fossa located?
deep face
What structures does the pterygopalatine fossa serve as a major crossroad between?
The TMJ is a bicondylar joint.
True
What bone does the TMJ connect the mandible to?
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What type of joint is the TMJ?
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Study Notes
Pterygopalatine Fossa
- Located in the deep face, serves as a major neurovascular crossroad between the oral cavity, nasal cavity, nasopharynx, orbit, masticator space, and middle cranial fossa
- A small, clinically inaccessible, fat-filled space
- Accommodates clinically important neurovascular structures
Neurovascular Structures
- Posterior lateral nasal arteries: supply the lateral wall of the nasal cavity and contribute to the supply of the paranasal sinuses
- Posterior septal branches: supply the nasal septum; the largest of these branches passes anteriorly down the septum to anastomose with the end of the greater palatine artery
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
- Connects the mandible to the skull and regulates mandibular movement
- A bicondylar joint in which the condyles, located at the two ends of the mandible, function at the same time
- A complex diarthrodial sliding-ginglymoid synovial joint that attaches the mandible to the petrous part of the temporal bone of the cranium
TMJ Characteristics
- The disc maintains its morphology unless destructive forces or structural changes occur in the joint
- If changes occur, the morphology of the disc can be irreversibly altered, producing biomechanical changes during function
Auriculotemporal Nerve
- As it leaves the mandibular nerve behind the TMJ, it ascends laterally and superiorly to wrap around the posterior region of the joint
TMJ Ligaments
- Responsible for the hinging movement of the TMJ, which occurs between the condyle and the articular disc
- The entire TMJ is surrounded and encompassed by the capsular ligament
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Description
Test your knowledge of the pterygopalatine fossa and temporomandibular joint in human anatomy. Identify the location, functions, and clinical significance of these structures.
