Skeleton of the skull (bones and some sutures) - Descriptions and pictures

Frontal bone

Forehead; superior orbit

Supraorbital foramen (notch)

Opening above orbit for nerves/vessels

Parietal bone

Superior and lateral skull

Temporal bone

Side of skull near ear

External acoustic meatus

Ear canal opening

Mastoid process

Posterior projection for muscle attachment

Styloid process

Thin spike for ligaments/muscles

Zygomatic process

Forms cheek arch

Mandibular fossa

Depression for mandible articulation

Occipital bone

Posterior/base of skull

Foramen magnum

Large hole for spinal cord

Occipital condyles

Articulate with atlas (C1)

External occipital protuberance

Posterior skull bump

Ethmoid bone

Between eyes; nasal cavity

Crista galli

Attachment for meninges

Cribriform plate

Holes for olfactory nerves

Zygomatic bone

Cheekbone

Temporal process

Projection of zygomatic bone

Sphenoid bone

Butterfly-shaped base bone

Greater wings

Lateral projections of sphenoid

Lesser wings

Superior projections of sphenoid

Sella turcica

Houses pituitary gland

Optic canal

Passage for optic nerve

Mandible

Lower jaw

Body / Ramus / Angle

Main regions of mandible

Condylar process

Articulates with temporal bone

Coronoid process

Muscle attachment (temporalis)

Mental foramen

Opening on mandible

Maxilla

Upper jaw

Infraorbital foramen

Below orbit; nerves/vessels

Alveolar process

Holds teeth sockets

Nasal bone

Bridge of nose

Lacrimal bone

Medial orbit; tear duct

Vomer

Inferior nasal septum

Inferior nasal concha

Lateral nasal cavity bone

Palatine bone

Posterior hard palate

Hyoid

U-shaped; supports tongue

Coronal suture

Between frontal and parietal

Squamous suture

Between temporal and parietal

Lambdoid suture

Between parietal and occipital

Sagittal suture

Between parietal bones

Occipitomastoid suture

Between occipital and temporal

Frontonasal suture

Between frontal and nasal