Anatomy of the Human Skull: Bones and Sutures

Vocabulary review covering the major cranial bones, facial bones, sutures, and bony landmarks of the human skull identified from anterior and lateral anatomical diagrams.

Frontal bone

The cranial bone that forms the forehead and the superior margin of the eye orbits, separated from the parietal bone by the coronal suture.

Parietal bone

The cranial bone situated on the superior and lateral sides of the skull, bounded anteriorly by the coronal suture, inferiorly by the squamous suture, and posteriorly by the lambdoid suture.

Temporal Bone

The cranial bone situated at the lateral side and base of the skull, inferior to the squamous suture and featuring the mastoid process.

Occipital

The cranial bone forming the posterior and inferior part of the skull, located posterior to the lambdoid suture.

Sphenoid

The cranial bone visible at the lateral side of the skull and within the interior of the eye orbit, positioned anterior to the temporal bone.

Coronal Suture

The transverse joint or suture across the skull that connects the frontal bone to the parietal bones.

Squamous Suture

The arching cranial suture located on the lateral aspect of the skull that joins the parietal bone with the temporal bone.

Lambdoid Suture

The cranial suture on the posterior aspect of the skull that separates the parietal bones from the occipital bone.

Mastoid Process

The bony prominence located on the inferior, posterior section of the temporal bone behind the mandible.

Nasal bone

The small facial bone situated at the upper-middle portion of the face that forms the bridge of the nose.

Lacrimal

The small facial bone located in the anterior portion of the medial wall of the eye orbit.

Zygomatic

The facial bone that forms the prominence of the cheek and contributes to the lateral and inferior wall of the orbit.

Vomer

The vertical facial bone visible inside the anterior nasal cavity that forms part of the nasal septum.

Maxilla

The facial bone forming the upper jaw, framing the lower portion of the nasal cavity and eye orbits while holding the upper teeth.

Mandible

The lower jawbone forming the chin and jawline, accommodating the lower set of teeth.