NBDHE NBDHE Head and Neck Anatomy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which foramen transmits the mental nerve and vessels?
- Mandibular foramen
- Mental foramen (Correct answer)
- Infraorbital foramen
- Incisive foramen
Correct answer: Mental foramen
The mental foramen, located on the lateral surface of the mandible below the premolars, transmits the mental nerve and vessels.
Question 2: The parotid duct (Stensen's duct) empties into the oral cavity opposite which tooth?
- Maxillary first molar
- Maxillary second molar (Correct answer)
- Maxillary first premolar
- Maxillary third molar
Correct answer: Maxillary second molar
Stensen's duct opens into the oral vestibule opposite the maxillary second molar at the parotid papilla.
Question 3: Which muscle is the primary antagonist to the temporalis during depression of the mandible?
- Medial pterygoid
- Lateral pterygoid (inferior head) (Correct answer)
- Masseter
- Buccinator
Correct answer: Lateral pterygoid (inferior head)
The inferior head of the lateral pterygoid depresses the mandible by pulling the condyle and disc anteriorly, opposing temporalis elevation.
Question 4: The chorda tympani nerve is a branch of which cranial nerve?
- CN V3
- CN VII (Correct answer)
- CN IX
- CN X
Correct answer: CN VII
The chorda tympani is a branch of the facial nerve (CN VII) that carries taste from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and preganglionic parasympathetic fibers to submandibular and sublingual glands.
Question 5: Which structure forms the posterior wall of the submandibular triangle?
- Mylohyoid muscle
- Hyoglossus muscle
- Stylohyoid muscle
- Digastric posterior belly (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Digastric posterior belly
The posterior belly of the digastric muscle forms the posterior boundary of the submandibular triangle.
Question 6: Injury to the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) would cause the tongue to deviate toward which side upon protrusion?
- Contralateral to the injury
- Ipsilateral to the injury (Correct answer)
- No deviation occurs
- Superiorly
Correct answer: Ipsilateral to the injury
The tongue deviates toward the side of injury because the intact genioglossus on the opposite side pushes the tongue toward the weakened side.
Question 7: Which lymph nodes are the primary drainage site for the tip of the tongue?
- Jugulodigastric nodes
- Submental nodes (Correct answer)
- Submandibular nodes
- Parotid nodes
Correct answer: Submental nodes
The tip of the tongue drains primarily to the submental lymph nodes before passing to the jugular chain.
NBDHE NBDHE Head and Neck Anatomy 2
Which foramen transmits the mental nerve and vessels?