Mylohyoid Function — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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EasyAnatomy (Head & Neck)Mylohyoid FunctionMFDS Part 1

Which muscle elevates the hyoid bone and the floor of the mouth during swallowing?

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Correct answer: C — Mylohyoid

The correct answer is C, mylohyoid. The paired mylohyoid muscles form most of the muscular floor of the mouth. With the mandible fixed, contraction elevates the floor of the mouth and hyoid during swallowing. Sternohyoid and omohyoid principally depress or stabilise the hyoid. Sternothyroid acts on the thyroid cartilage and depresses the larynx rather than elevating the oral floor. Thyrohyoid can depress the hyoid when the thyroid cartilage is fixed or elevate the larynx when the hyoid is fixed, but it does not elevate the floor of the mouth. The combined actions specified in the stem therefore uniquely identify mylohyoid.

Reference: Toth J, Lappin SL. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Mylohyoid Muscle. StatPearls [Internet], 2026 edition. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31424877/