ANATOMY OF TONGUE
DR. QAMBER HAIDER KAZMI
Objectives
By the end of this lecture students will have knowledge about;
Gross Features of Tongue
Tongue Papillae and Taste Buds
Extrinsic Muscles of Tongue
Intrinsic Muscles of Tongue
Blood and Nerve Supply of Tongue
Introduction
The tongue is a muscular organ
Site – floor of the mouth
Functionality;
Chewing
Speech
Taste
Deglutition
External Features
A tongue has following parts;
Root
Tip
Body
The body of tongue has;
Dorsum – upper surface
Inferior surface
Cont…
Root:
It is attached to styloid process and soft
palate above and to mandible and
the hyoid bone below
Tip:
It forms the anterior free end of which
at rest lies behind the upper incisors
Dorsum of Tongue
The dorsum of tongue is convex in all
directions
It is subdivided into following two part by
a V-shaped groove known as sulcus
terminalis;
Anterior two thirds or oral part
Posterior one third or pharyngeal part
The two limbs of sulcus terminalis meet at
a point that has foramen cecum
The Anterior Two Thirds
It is placed on the floor of the mouth
Its margins are free and come in contact
with gums and teeth
Just in front of palatoglossal arch, each
margin shows 4 – 5 vertical folds known
as Foliate Papillae
The superior surface has a median furrow
which is covered with papillae making it
rough
Posterior One Third
It is also known as Pharyngeal Part or
Lymphoid Part
It lies behind palatoglossal arch and
sulcus terminalis and forms the anterior
boundary of oropharynx
Contains no papillae
It has lingual tonsils and mucus glands
Posterior Most Part of Tongue
It is connected to the epiglottis by
three folds;
Median glossoepiglottic fold
Two lateral glossoepiglottic fold
On either side of the median fold
there is a depression called Vallecula
The lateral folds separate Vallecula
from piriform fossa
Papillae of Tongue
These are projections of mucous membrane of anterior tongue
They are responsible to give anterior tongue a characteristic roughness
There are following three types of papillae;
Circumvallate or Vallate
Fungiform
Filiform
• They are smaller than vallate and larger
than filiform
• Site – tip, margins and all over the dorsum
• Quantity – numerous
• Shape – pedicle with large rounded head
• They are bright red in color
• They are the smallest in size
• Site – pre-sulcal area of dorsum of tongue
• Quantity – most numerous
• Shape – conical
• Their tips contain filamentous process
• They are large in size (1-2 mm in diameter)
• Site – immediately in front of sulcus terminalis
• Quantity – 8 to 12
• Shape – circular or cylinder
• Their walls contain taste buds
Musculature of Tongue
Muscles of
Tongue
Extrinsic Intrinsic
Extrinsic Muscles of
Tongue
Genioglossus Hyoglossus Styloglossus Palatoglossus
1. Genioglossus
Origin - Superior mental tubercles
Insertion - Body of hyoid; entire length
of tongue
Nerve Supply - Hypoglossal nerve [XII]
Action - Protrudes tongue; depresses
center of tongue
2. Hyoglossus
Origin - Greater horn and adjacent
part of body of hyoid bone
Insertion - Lateral surface of tongue
Nerve Supply - Hypoglossal nerve [XII]
Action - Depresses tongue
3. Styloglossus
Origin - Styloid process (anterolateral
surface)
Insertion - Lateral surface of tongue
Nerve Supply - Hypoglossal nerve [XII]
Action - Elevates and retracts tongue
4. Palatoglossus
Origin - Inferior surface of palatine
aponeurosis
Insertion - Lateral margin of tongue
Nerve Supply - Vagus nerve [X] (via
pharyngeal branch to pharyngeal
plexus
Action - Depresses palate; moves
palatoglossal fold toward midline;
elevates back of the tongue
Intrinsic Muscles of Tongue
Actions of Intrinsic Muscles
Muscle Action
Superior Longitudinal Shortens the tongue and makes its dorsum
concave
Inferior longitudinal Shortens the tongue and makes its dorsum
convex
Transverse Makes the tongue narrow and elongated
Vertical Makes tongue broad and flattened
Blood Supply and Lymphatic Drainage
of Tongue
Also;
• Tonsillar Artery br. of
Facial Artery
• Ascending
pharyngeal artery
br. of ECA
THANK YOU!
