PTERYGOID PROCESS Meaning and
Definition
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The pterygoid process is a bony projection arising from the sphenoid bone located in the skull. It is situated on the inferior portion of the greater wings of the sphenoid bone, originating from the region near the junction of the body and the greater wing.
Consisting of two distinct parts, the pterygoid process is consisted of the medial pterygoid plate and the lateral pterygoid plate. The medial pterygoid plate is the upper part, whereas the lateral pterygoid plate is the lower part.
The medial pterygoid plate is a thin, elongated structure that is oriented vertically and projects medially. It acts as a point of origin for the palatine muscles, mainly the medial pterygoid muscle. Additionally, the pterygoid hamulus is an anatomical structure found at the termination of the medial pterygoid plate, serving as a point of attachment for the tensor veli palatini muscle.
On the other hand, the lateral pterygoid plate, which is thicker and wider, projects laterally. It functions as an attachment site for the lateral pterygoid muscle and the sphenomandibular ligament. Furthermore, the pterygoid fossa, a concave depression, lies on the posterior surface of the lateral pterygoid plate.
Overall, the pterygoid process is an essential anatomical landmark that serves as an attachment point for various muscles and ligaments involved in movements of the mandible, jaw, and palate.
Common Misspellings for PTERYGOID PROCESS
- oterygoid process
- lterygoid process
- -terygoid process
- 0terygoid process
- prerygoid process
- pferygoid process
- pgerygoid process
- pyerygoid process
- p6erygoid process
- p5erygoid process
- ptwrygoid process
- ptsrygoid process
- ptdrygoid process
- ptrrygoid process
- pt4rygoid process
- pt3rygoid process
- pteeygoid process
- ptedygoid process
- ptefygoid process
Etymology of PTERYGOID PROCESS
The word "pterygoid" in "pterygoid process" originates from the Greek word "pteryx", meaning "wing" or "fin". The term was first used in the early 18th century to describe the two wing-like processes of a bird's pteryla, or feather tracts. In the field of anatomy, the pterygoid processes, located in the skull, were named after these wing-like structures due to their similarity in shape. The use of "pterygoid" in medical terminology refers to the resemblance of the process to a wing.
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