mento-, ment-, menti-; mental [chin]

A chin implant made with a small incision (surgical cut) inside the mouth, between the lower lip and the gum, or in a small crease under the jaw: Augmentation mentoplasties are made from semisolid, spongelike, or mesh synthetic materials.

A reference to or relating to the chin: Brian had a mental pain and so he had difficulty in talking or eating.

A primary blood vessel that is a branch of the maxillary (upper jaw bone) which supplies blood and structure to the skin of the face and to the subcutaneous tissues of the chin: Dr. Abbington told Mack that it would be necessary to arrange for additional examinations to see what was wrong with his mental artery.

An opening on the lateral (side) part of the body of the mandible (lower jaw), inferior to (below) the second premolar teeth, through which the nerves to the chin and blood vessels pass: The mental foramen transmits the mental nerves and vessels to the skin of the face.

A mental foramen (natural opening, usually through the bone) functions as the passage of blood vessels and a nerve on the outside of the lower jaw on each side near the chin.

A branch of the inferior alveolar (tip of the tongue) nerve that emerges from the bone of the mandible near the bottom of the jaw: The mental nerve divides into branches which are distributed to the skin of the chin and the mucous membranes of the lower lip.

A midline swelling on the base of the mandible on its anterior (front) surface where the two sides of the jaw come together: Just lateral to Chelsea's mental protuberance (bulge or swelling), on both sides, are the slightly more pronounced mental tubercles (outgrowths).

The bony mental protuberance is located at the front of Jake's lower jaw and forms his chin.

A dense elevation that extends from the symphysis menti (abnormal adhesion of two or more structures in the center front of the lower jaw) to the premolar area on the anterolateral aspect (in front and on each side) of the body of the lower jaw: Dr. Levi was trying to explain to Gilberto that it is possible to improve the condition of the mental ridge of his chin.

Either of two small elevations on the inner surface of each side of the symphysis (abnormal attachment) of the lower jaw of which the upper one on each side provides attachment for the genioglossus (tongue muscle) and the lower for the geniohyoid muscle which consists of the chin and hyoid (U-shaped bone at the root of the tongue): The medical instructor, Dr. Reynolds, explained to his students the anatomical structures of the mental spines in the mouths of humans.

One of a bilateral pair of bulges on the lower border of the face: The mental tubercle of the lower jaw has a prominence on each side of the chin which is also called a genial tubercle or a small rounded nodule or elevation.

A muscle that goes up from the lower part of the jaw to the incisor teeth and helps position the lip during pouting or drinking from a cup: The mentalis muscle goes up into the lower lip as it wrinkles the skin on the chin and pushes the lower lip up.

In a facing presentation, having the fetal (unborn child's) chin pointing toward the front of the mother's body in relation to her pelvis: The mentoanterior position indicates that the fetal mentum of the baby is positioned forward in the mother's womb.

Pertaining to or relating to the chin and the lips: Jermaine accidentally scraped the mentolabial area under his mouth while he was shaving under his lower lip.

Relating to or referring to the lower part of the jaw and the main bones of the head: The mentoparietal bones of the chin and the skull are anatomically coordinated so they work together.

The parietal bones are the two bones that together form much of the top, sides, and the upper part of the back of the skull.

Any plastic surgery performed on the protruding part at the bottom of the face: After the auto accident, it was necessary that Jody have mentoplasty or surgery to repair her damaged jaw bone.

A reference to having the fetal (unborn child) facing towards the back of its mother's womb: The unborn baby had its mentoposterior or fetal chin turned to the backside of its mother's body while it was developing.