Bones of the Skull

Flashcards summarizing the bones of the skull, their features, and articulations.

Skull

Consists of 22 bones, 21 bound together via sutures, and 1 mandible (ossicles not included).

Cranial Bones

There are 8 cranial bones: Frontal, Parietal (paired), Temporal (paired), Occipital, Ethmoid, and Sphenoid.

Facial Bones

There are 13 facial bones: Nasal (paired), Palatine (paired), Inferior nasal concha (paired), Vomer, Lacrimal (paired), Zygomatic (paired), Maxilla (paired), and Mandible.

Sutures

Fibrous joints that connect the bones of the skull.

Coronal Suture

Formed by the Frontal and Parietal bones.

Sagittal Suture

Formed by the Parietal bones (Paired).

Lambdoid Suture

Formed by the Parietal and Occipital bones.

Squamous Suture

Formed by the Parietal and Temporal bones.

Bregma

Where sagittal and coronal sutures meet.

Lambda

Where lambdoid and sagittal sutures meet.

Asterion

Where parietal, occipital and lambdoid sutures meet (Star shaped).

Pterion

Where greater wing of sphenoid, temporal, frontal and parietal sutures meet.

Calvaria

The roof of skull, composed of the Frontal Bone (Squamous part), Parietal Bones, and Occipital Bone (Squamous part).

Frontal Bone

Forms superior and anterior parts of the skull and part of the anterior cranial fossa.

Parietal Bone

Forms most of the lateral and superior part of the skull.

Temporal Bone

Inferiolateral wall of the skull with parts: Petrous, squamous, mastoid and tympanic.

Occipital Bone

Forms posterior part of skull, including most of the posterior cranial fossa and part of the base of the skull.

Sphenoid Bone

Forms part of base of skull, posterior part of eye orbit, part of anterior and middle cranial fossae.

Ethmoid Bone

Between the sphenoid and nasal bones. Forms part of the anterior cranial fossa, nasal septum, roof and lateral walls of nasal cavity, and medial wall of orbit.

Zygomatic Bone

Forms the cheek and lateral part of the orbit.

Palatine Bone

Forms posterior part of hard palate, small part of nasal cavity and orbit wall.

Maxilla Bone

Forms anterior part of face, upper jaw, parts of hard palate, inferior orbits, and walls of nasal cavity.

Vomer Bone

Forms inferior and posterior parts of the nasal cavity.

Cleft Lip

Incomplete fusion of medial and lateral nasal prominences and the maxillary process results in a split in the upper lip.

Cleft Palate

A congenital fissure in the midline of the palate.The palatine process of the maxillae and palatine bones don’t fuse completely orat all.

Look at this diagram of Cranium and Facial Bones

Look at the anterior view of the cranial bones

Look at this diagram of the inferior view

Look at the sutures

Look at nasal bone and inferior nasal concha

Review this diagram of the cranial fossa