Isthmus of the fauces
The mouth cavity. The cheeks have been slit transversely and the tongue pulled forward. (Isthmus faucium labeled at center left.)
Latin	isthmus faucium
Gray's	subject #242 1110

The oropharyngeal isthmus (faucal isthmus/isthmus of fauces/oropharyngeal isthmus) lies between the soft palate and the root of the tongue, and is bounded on both sides by the palatoglossal arches. Each palatoglossal arch runs downwards, laterally and forwards, from the soft palate to the side of the tongue. The approximation of the arches shuts off the mouth from the oropharynx, and is essential to swallowing (deglutition).

[edit] See also

• fauces (anatomy)
• list of anatomical isthmi

[edit] External links

• Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 05287.011-1

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v • d • e Head and neck anatomy, digestive system: Mouth anatomy (TA A05.1-2, GA 11.1110-2, 1125-1141) Mouth Vestibule of mouth Lip (Upper, Lower, Vermillion border) · Philtrum Oral cavity proper Palate/ roof of mouth Hard palate · Soft palate · Palatine raphe · Incisive papilla Tongue dorsum (Taste bud, Median sulcus, Terminal sulcus, Foramen cecum, Lingual tonsils) · underside (Frenulum, Fimbriated fold, Sublingual caruncle) · Anterior · Posterior · Glossoepiglottic folds Other Teeth · Gingiva (Interdental papilla, Gingival sulcus, Gingival margin) · Oral mucosa · Buccal fat pad Salivary glands Parotid gland/Parotid duct · Submandibular gland/Submandibular duct · Sublingual gland/Major sublingual duct Oro-pharynx arches/fauces (Palatoglossal, Palatopharyngeal) · Oropharyngeal isthmus/Isthmus of the fauces · Palatine tonsil · Uvula mouth navs: anat/dev, noncongen/congen face/congen GI/neoplasia, symptoms, proc