Ch. 7 Key Terms

Alveolar process of the mandible: Refers to the upper border of the mandibular body which contains the lower teeth.
Alveolar process of the maxilla: The curved, inferior margin of the maxilla that supports and anchors the upper teeth.

Angle of the mandible: The rounded corner located at the outside margin of the body and ramus junction.
Condylar process of the mandible: Thickened upward projection from the posterior margin of the mandibular ramus.
Condyle: Oval-shaped process located at the top of the condylar process of the mandible.
Coronoid process of the mandible: Flattened upward projection from the anterior margin of the mandibular ramus.
Mandibular foramen: An opening located on the inner (medial) surface of the mandibular ramus.
Mandibular fossa: Oval depression located on the inferior surface of the skull.
Mandibular notch: Large U-shaped notch located between the condylar process and coronoid process of the mandible.

Angle of the rib: The thoracic cage portion of a rib with the greatest curvature; together, the rib angles form the most posterior extent of the anterior.
Costal cartilage: Hyaline cartilage structure attached to the anterior end of each rib that provides either direct or indirect attachment of most ribs to the sternum.
Costal facet: Site on the lateral sides of a thoracic vertebra for articulation with the head of a rib.
Costal groove: Shallow groove along the inferior margin of a rib that provides passage for blood vessels and a nerve.
False ribs: Ribs 8–12 whose costal cartilage either attaches indirectly to the sternum via the costal cartilage of the next higher rib, or does not attach to the sternum at all.
Floating ribs: Ribs 11–12 that do not attach to the sternum or to the costal cartilage of another rib.

Appendicular skeleton: All bones of the upper and lower limbs, plus the girdle bones that attach each limb to the axial skeleton.
Axial skeleton: Central, vertical axis of the body, including the skull, vertebral column, and thoracic cage.

Cranial cavity: The interior space of the skull that houses the brain.
Cranium: The skull, specifically the portion that contains and protects the brain.
Calvaria (skullcap): The rounded top of the skull.
External acoustic meatus: Ear canal opening located on the lateral side of the skull.
External occipital protuberance: Small bump located at the midline on the posterior skull.

Anterior longitudinal ligament: The ligament that runs the length of the vertebral column, uniting the anterior aspects of adjacent vertebral bodies.
Anulus fibrosus: The tough, fibrous outer portion of an intervertebral disc, which is strongly anchored to the bodies of adjacent vertebrae.
Intervertebral disc: Structure located between the bodies of adjacent vertebrae that strongly joins the vertebrae, providing padding and enabling vertebral column movements.
Intervertebral foramen: Opening located between adjacent vertebrae for the exit of a spinal nerve.
Cervical curve: The posteriorly concave curvature of the cervical vertebral column region; a secondary curve comprising seven vertebrae, numbered C1–C7 located in the neck region.

Cribriform plate: Small, flattened areas with numerous small openings, located on either side of the midline in the floor of the anterior cranial fossa, formed by the ethmoid bone.
Crista galli: Small upward projection located at the midline in the floor of the anterior cranial fossa, formed by the ethmoid bone.
Foramen magnum: Large opening in the occipital bone of the skull through which the spinal cord emerges.
Foramen ovale: Oval-shaped opening in the floor of the middle cranial fossa.
Foramen rotundum: Round opening in the floor of the middle cranial fossa, located between the superior orbital fissure and foramen ovale.
Foramen spinosum: Small opening in the floor of the middle cranial fossa, located lateral to the foramen ovale.

Hyoid bone: A small U-shaped bone located in the upper neck that does not contact any other bone.
Lacrimal bone: Paired bones that contribute to the anterior-medial wall of each orbit.
Lacrimal fossa: Shallow depression in the anterior-medial wall of the orbit, formed by the lacrimal bone, that gives rise to the nasolacrimal canal.
Manubrium: The expanded, superior portion of the sternum.
Mastoid process: Large bony prominence on the inferior, lateral skull, just behind the earlobe.
Mental protuberance: Inferior margin of the anterior mandible that forms the chin.
Mental foramen: Opening located on the anterior-lateral side of the mandibular body.