Download The Skull - WordPress.com

Frontal Bone
 Forms forehead, roof of
orbital and nasal cavities
 Zygomatic process:
lateral protrusion at the
corner of the eyes
Parietal Bones
 2 bones: one on each side
of the head
 Form the sides and roof
of the cranium
Occipital Bone
 Rear, lower aspect of the
cranium
 Superior Nuchal Line:
most easily palpated,
attachment site for
multiple muscles
 Median Nuchal Line: runs
perpendicularly from
superior nuchal line to
foramen magnum
(attachment site also)
Hyoid Bone
 aka Lingual bone or tongue
bone
 Serves to anchor the
tongue
 Anterior neck, between the
mandible and the voice box
 Only bone not connected
to any other
 Other animals have
versions of this bone but
only humans can make it
work with tongue and
larynx to create speech.
Primary Lobes and Regions
 The skull is comprised of
4 primary lobes/regions
 Lobes typically refer to
the brain
 Frontal
 Parietal
 Temporal
 Occipital
 Separated/joined by lines
called _______________
Bones of the Face
 Facial bones provide
shape and structure.
 Upper jaw:____________
 Lower jaw:____________
 Ridge of nose: ________
 Side of head (posterior to
the eyes x 2):
_______________
 Cheeks:______________
The Maxilla
 Is really the fusion of two
bones
 Holds upper teeth in
place
 Articulates with
zygomatic (cheek) bones
and nasal bones
The Mandible
 Forms the lower jaw
 Holds lower teeth in
place
 Mandibular Foramen:
allows nerves and blood
vessels associated with
lower lip and teeth to
pass
 Mental Foramen: allows
mental (sensory) nerve
and blood vessels to pass
More Head Bones
 Temporal Bone: Forms the sides and base of the skull, with
the sphenioid bone.
 Styloid Process: Pointed piece of bone below the ear; for
muscles associated with the tongue and larynx (not to be
confused with a landmark of the same name on each
wrist)
 This landmark is difficult to view because it usually breaks
off cadavers and specimens
 Mastoid process: can be felt behind the lobe of the ear;
attachment site for the sternocleidomastoid muscle
The Skull: Other Important
Structures
 Newborn babies feature a “soft spot” of cartilaginous
tissue called the ______________. This allows the skull to
compress during childbirth and hardens/ossifies over time.
 At the base of the skull is a hole called the _____________
which literally translates to _______________ and whose
purpose is to allow the spinal cord to reach the brain.
Skull: as viewed from the inferior,
mandible removed
The Tempero-Mandibular Joint
 A unique joint where the mandible meets the temporal
bone
 Function: to allow the jaw to open and close
 Structure is provided by ligaments and muscles and is
susceptible to injury like any other joint
 The mandible fits into a concave slot, and the joint is
relatively strong when the mouth is closed, but slides out
of that slot when the mouth is open and therefore can be
more easily dislodged when force is applied
TMJ
What’s next?
 Monday: Skeletal System Part II
 We will discuss evaluation for the skeletal system unit
 Thursday: Anatomy quiz #1: The Skull