Skull Osteology

frontal bone

bone that makes up forehead and extends beyond eyebrows

supraorbital foramen

opthalmic branch of trigeminal nerve emerges from this

supraorbital ridge

- supraorbital margin

- superciliary ridge

glabella

area b/w supraorbital ridges & above nose

parietal bone

two bones in the human skull which, when joined together, form the sides and roof of the cranium

temporal bone

pair of bones that form part of the side of the skull on each side and enclose the middle and inner ear

external auditory meatus

opening into the ear canal

mastoid process

large process located just posterior to ext. auditory meatus

styloid process

small delicate process located just anterior & medial to the ext. auditory meatus

carotid canal

contains internal carotid artery and nerves

jugular fossa

contains int. jugular vein, CNIX, CNX, and CNXI

zygomatic ramus of temporal bone

joins w/ the temporal ramus of zygomatic bone to form zygomatic arch

occipital bone

situated in back and lower part of skull

foramen magnum

contains spinal cord, vertebral artery and CNXI

occipital condyles

main articulation b/w skull and C1 (atlas)

external occipital protuberance

supraspinous (nuchal) ligament attaches here

superior nuchal line

muscles of the head & neck do not cross this line

inferior nuchal line

deeper neck muscles attach here

coronal suture

located b/w frontal & parietal bones

sagittal suture

located b/w parietal bones

lambdoidal suture

located b/w parietal & occipital bones

squamous suture

located b/w the temporal and parietal bones

cranial fossa

any of the three large depressions in the posterior, middle, and anterior aspects of the floor of the cranial cavity

anterior cranial fossa

bounded by the frontal bone anteriorly and the lesser wing of sphenoid bone posteriorly

middle cranial fossa

bounded by the lesser wing of sphenoid bone anteriorly and the ridge along the

petrous part of the temporal bone posteriorly

posterior cranial fossa

- bounded by the ridge along the petrous part of the temporal bone anteriorly and the occipital bone posteriorly

- located inferior to the tentorium cerebelli

sphenoid bone

sella tursica

from anterior to posterior contains - Tuberculum sellae, hypophyseal (pituitary) fossa, dorsum sellae

optic chiasmic groove

optic nerve (chiasm) sits in this groove

greater wing

larger wing located posterior to orbital sockets

lesser wing

smaller wing located superior to orbital sockets

zygomatic bone

bone that forms the prominent part of the cheek and the outer side of the eye socket

temporal ramus of zygomatic bone

joins with the zygomatic ramus of temporal bone to form the zygomatic arch

zygomatic arch

see temporal ramus of zygomatic bone and zygomatic ramus of temporal bone

lacrimal bones

bones forming part of the eye socket

lacrimal fossa

contains nasolacrimal (tear) duct

ethmoid bone

unpaired bone in the skull that separates the nasal cavity from the brain

crista galli

ridge that serves as attachment point for falx cerebri

cribiform plate

perforated bone located lateral to the crista galli; allows olfactory nerve (CNI) to penetrate into nasal cavity

perpendicular plate

separates the two halves of the nasal cavity (superior portion)

vomer

separates two halves of the nasal cavity (inferior portion)

nasal bones

two small oblong bones, varying in size and form in different individuals; they are placed side by side at the middle and upper part of the face, and form, by their junction, "the bridge" of the nose.

nasal septum

cartilage connected to anterior side of vomer and perpendicular plate of ethmoid bone

maxilla

jaw or jaw bone

infraorbital foramen

maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve emerges from this opening

palatine process

- forms the roof of the mouth (posterior portion)

- "hard palate"

alveolar process (maxilla)

terminates in an alveolus (tooth socket)

mandible

body

main (anterior) portion of the mandible

angle

located b/w body and ramus

ramus

terminates in condyloid and coronoid process

condyloid process

more posterior process that articulates w/ temporal bone

coronoid process

more anterior process that serves as an attachment for temporalis mm.

mental protuberance

most anterior point of the mandible (tip of chin)

mental foramen

mental branch of trigeminal nerve emerges from this opening

alveolar process (mandible)

terminates in an alveolus (tooth socket)

palatine bone

- forms the roof of the mouth (posterior portion)

- "hard palate"