Cranial and Facial Anatomy Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes detailing cranial sutures, cranial bones, basicranial depressions, and facial skeleton structures.

Major cranial sutures

Fibrous joints connecting cranial bones, including the coronal suture (anterior), sagittal suture (middle), and lambdoid suture (posterior).

Squamous suture

Suture located around the ear area.

Sutural bone / Wormian bone

Extra bones located inside sutures whose location and shape differ.

Occipital bone

Bone forming the back of the skull around the big hole (Foramen Magnum).

Foramen Magnum

Big hole located in the back of the skull.

Occipital condyle

Two bumps located on both sides of the Foramen Magnum.

External occipital protuberance

Bump located on the back of the head where a ponytail would sit.

Jugular foramen

Two oblong holes located on both sides of the Foramen Magnum.

Parietal bone

Two bones situated on the right and left sides of the sagittal suture.

Frontal bone

Bone that makes up the forehead and contributes to the tops of the orbits.

Superciliary arch

Structure where the eyebrows sit.

Frontal sinus

Sinus located in front of the skull where a bumpy area is situated.

Temporal bone

Bone located where the ear would be, adding the posterior part of the zygomatic arch.

Squamous part of temporal bone

Flat portion located on top of the bridge (zygomatic arch).

Zygomatic process

Part of the temporal bone forming the bridge towards the posterior (middle/end of main arch).

Mandibular fossa

Depression where the jaw bone (Mandible) sets to connect.

External acoustic meatus

Deep hole situated behind the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch.

Petrous part

Part of the temporal bone that is bigger than the portion in front of the jugular foramen.

Mastoid process

Larger bump located behind the external acoustic meatus.

Styloid process

Skinny stylus projection located under where the ear is.

Carotid canal

Deeper hole located by the end of the styloid process and the jugular foramen.

Internal acoustic meatus

Little ear hole located inside in front of the jugular foramen.

Sphenoid bone

Middle internal cranial bone that looks like a bat.

Sella turcica

Saddle-shaped structure in the middle of the inside skull.

Lesser wing of sphenoid

Front end of sphenoid resembling a manta ray, forming the edge of the anterior cranial fossa.

Superior orbital fissure

Oblong opening on the back of the orbit that goes all the way through.

Optic canal

Canal right beside the lesser wings that goes all the way through by the superior orbital fissure.

Greater wing of sphenoid

Sphenoid feature forming the anterior part of the middle cranial fossa.

Sphenoidal sinus

Sinus located right through the sella turcica (saddle).

Cranium

Structure composed of multiple bones forming the skull / middle.

Facial skeleton

Skull structure composed of multiple bones forming the front face.

Orbit

Deep skull structure where the eyes go.

Zygomatic arch

Entire cheek bone bridge structure composed of multiple bones.

Nasal septum

Structure located right in the middle of the nose.

Hard palate

Structure composed of multiple bones forming the roof of your mouth.

Hyoid bone

Associated bone located superior to the voice box in the neck area.

Ethmoid bone

Bigger bone forming the superior part of the nasal cavity and floor of the cranium.

Cribriform plate

Long, deep river-like structures on both sides of the crista galli (shark fin).

Cribriform foramen

Little holes located inside the cribriform plate (rivers).

Crista galli

Shark fin-like structure in the middle of the manta ray back (crest of rooster).

Perpendicular plate of ethmoid

Structure forming the superior part of the nasal septum.

Anterior cranial fossa

Major basicranial depression inside where it looks like manta ray wings.

Middle cranial fossa

Major basicranial depression inside located under the manta ray in the middle.

Posterior cranial fossa

Major basicranial depression inside forming back bowls.

Maxilla

Facial bone that supports all upper teeth.

Frontal process of maxilla

Part of the maxilla forming the sides of the nasal cavity.

Alveolar process of maxilla

Process that supports the upper teeth and where teeth sit.

Inferior orbital fissure

Long gap in the eye sockets located under the superior orbital fissure.

Infraorbital foramen

Little holes inferior to the orbit on both sides of the nasal cavity.

Maxillary sinus

Sinus located where the little divot is above the teeth.

Palatine process

Anterior portion of the hard palate forming $\frac{3}{4}$ of the front roof of the mouth.

Palatine bone

Facial bone forming the posterior portion ($\frac{1}{4}$ of back) of the hard palate.

Horizontal plate of palatine

Posterior portion of hard palate, part of the palatine bone.

Nasal bone

Facial bones located to the sides of where the bridge of your nose is.

Zygomatic bone

Facial bone forming the anterior part of the zygomatic arch (bridge).

Temporal process of zygomatic bone

Process extending as part of the anterior orbit/bridge structure.

Lacrimal bone

Bone containing an oblong hole where the tear duct would be located.

Lacrimal groove

Groove located inside the oblong hole of the tear duct.

Nasolacrimal canal

Deep hole located inside the tear duct.

Vomer

Bone forming the inferior part of the nasal septum that goes all the way through.

Mandible

Facial bone forming the whole jaw bone.

Body of mandible

Part of mandible located just behind back molar teeth to the front.

Ramus of mandible

Part extending from back teeth to the connector to the rest of the skull.

Condylar process

Posterior big bone projection of the mandible under the hammer head.

Coronoid process

Anterior big bone projection of the mandible.

Mental foramen

Holes located to the side of the chin.

Alveolar part of mandible

Part of mandible located underneath the teeth.

Mandibular foramen

Holes located inside the jaw towards the back.