Lip (Labium oris)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
The lips (labia oris) are fleshy, mobile muscular folds bounding the oral aperture, formed by the orbicularis oris muscle, fibroelastic tissue, and vermilion border. Lined internally by non-keratinized labial mucosa and externally by skin, they function in food apprehension, oral competence, speech articulation, and facial expression.
Clinical notes
Squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip is the most common oral malignancy, strongly linked to ultraviolet solar radiation and tobacco use; cleft lip results from failure of maxillary and medial nasal prominence fusion.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Lip?
The lips (labia oris) are fleshy, mobile muscular folds bounding the oral aperture, formed by the orbicularis oris muscle, fibroelastic tissue, and vermilion border. Lined internally by non-keratinized labial mucosa and externally by skin, they function in food apprehension, oral competence, speech articulation, and facial expression.
Why is the Lip clinically important?
Squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip is the most common oral malignancy, strongly linked to ultraviolet solar radiation and tobacco use; cleft lip results from failure of maxillary and medial nasal prominence fusion.
Source & license
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