| facial plane | A measurement of the bony profile of the face. Synonym: nasion-pogonion measurement. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| facial plexus | An autonomic plexus on the facial artery derived from the external carotid plexus; it sends a branch to the submandibular ganglion. Synonym: external maxillary plexus, plexus maxillaris externus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facial profile | The outline form of the face from a lateral view, the sagittal outline form of the face. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facial reflex | In a case of coma from severe apoplexy, pressure on the eyeballs causes contraction of the facial muscles of expression on the side opposite to the lesion; if coma due to diabetes, uraemia, or other toxic cause the reflex is present on both sides. Synonym: facial reflex, Mondonesi's reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facial root | The nerve constituting the parasympathetic and sympathetic root of the pterygopalatine ganglion; it is formed in the region of the foramen lacerum by the union of the greater superficial petrosal and the deep petrosal nerves, and runs through the pterygoid canal to the pterygopalatine fossa. Synonym: nervus canalis pterygoidei, radix facialis, facial root, vidian nerve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facial spasm | Involuntary twitching of the facial muscles, sometimes unilateral. Synonym: Bell's spasm, convulsive tic, facial spasm, histrionic spasm, mimic convulsion, mimic spasm, mimic tic, palmus, prosopospasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facial surface of tooth | The surface of a tooth that faces the buccal or labial mucosa of vestibule of the mouth; opposite to the lingual surface of tooth. Synonym: facies vestibularis dentis, facies facialis dentis, buccal surface, facial surface of tooth, facies buccalis, facies labialis, labial surface. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facial tic | Involuntary twitching of the facial muscles, sometimes unilateral. Synonym: Bell's spasm, convulsive tic, facial spasm, histrionic spasm, mimic convulsion, mimic spasm, mimic tic, palmus, prosopospasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facial tics | <neurology> A repetitive spasmodic movement of the eyes or facial muscles. May also involve the neck or shoulders. Tics are most common in children. The cause is unknown but may be linked to stress. Tics are more common in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disease. Most tics require no treatment and resolve on their own with patient education. (27 Sep 1997) |
| facial triangle | A triangle formed by lines connecting the basion, the prosthion, and the nasion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facial trophoneurosis | Atrophy of one half of the face which is sometimes progressive, and is of unknown cause. (12 Dec 1998) |
| facial vein | <anatomy, vein> A continuation of the angular vein at the medial angle of the eye. It passes diagonally downward and outward, joining with the retromandibular vein below the border of the lower jaw before emptying into the internal jugular vein. Synonym: anterior facial vein, vena facialis anterior, vena facialis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facial vision | <physiology> Sensing the proximity of objects by the nerves of the face, presumed in the case of the blind and also in sighted persons who are blindfolded or in darkness. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facialis | Synonym: facial, facial. Origin: L. (05 Mar 2000) |
| facialis phenomenon | Facial spasm produced by light rubbing of the skin or a tap on the zygoma; sometimes percussion above the zygoma causes contraction of the lip only; observed in tetany and sometimes in exophthalmic goiter. (05 Mar 2000) |