Wharton's Duct Opening — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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EasyAnatomy (Head & Neck)Wharton's Duct OpeningMFDS Part 1

At which intraoral landmark does the submandibular duct (Wharton's duct) normally open?

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Correct answer: A — Sublingual caruncle beside the lingual frenulum

The submandibular duct, or Wharton's duct, opens at the sublingual caruncle on each side of the lingual frenulum in the anterior floor of the mouth. This makes A the single best answer. The parotid papilla opposite the maxillary second molar is the opening of the parotid duct (Stensen's duct), so B is incorrect. The retromolar pad and mandibular buccal vestibule are not normal openings of major salivary ducts. The soft palate contains openings from minor salivary glands but is not the termination of Wharton's duct.

Reference: Uz Z et al. Identifying a sublingual triangle as the ideal site for assessment of sublingual microcirculation, Figure 2 anatomical description. Journal of Clinical Monitoring and Computing. 2023;37(2):639-649. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36355276/