Buccal Fat Pad — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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ModerateAnatomy (Head & Neck)Buccal Fat PadMFDS Part 1

In conventional dental surgical anatomy, a biconvex encapsulated mass of fat in the cheek, prominent in infants and used as a pedicled flap to close posterior maxillary defects, is principally a content of which anatomical space?

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Correct answer: A — Buccal space

The structure described is the buccal fat pad, making A, the buccal space, the best answer in conventional dental surgical anatomy. Its main cheek component lies lateral to buccinator and near the anterior border of masseter, and it may be mobilised intraorally as a pedicled flap. The submandibular and sublingual spaces are floor-of-mouth spaces separated by mylohyoid. The parapharyngeal space lies beside the pharynx, while the retropharyngeal space lies posterior to it. The fat pad has temporal and pterygoid extensions, and some recent anatomical studies classify the buccal compartment as continuous with the masticatory space; specifying the conventional dental classification therefore ensures a single best answer.

Reference: Kim CY et al. Anatomy of the Buccal Space: Surgical and Radiological Perspectives. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38885157/