What is the fauces?

What it is

• The aperture by which the mouth communicates with the pharynx is called the isthmus faucium. It is bounded, above, by the soft palate; below, by the dorsum of the tongue; and on either side, by the glossopalatine arch. The glossopalatine arch ( arcus glossopalatinus; anterior pillar of fauces ) on either side runs downward, lateralward, and forward to the side of the base of the tongue, and is formed by the projection of the Glossopalatinus with its covering mucous membrane.
• The pharyngopalatine arch ( arcus pharyngopalatinus; posterior pillar of fauces ) is larger and projects farther toward the middle line than the anterior; it runs downward, lateralward, and backward to the side of the pharynx, and is formed by the projection of the Pharyngopalatinus, covered by mucous membrane. On either side the two arches are separated below by a triangular interval, in which the palatine tonsil is lodged.