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THE SKULL
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It consists of 22 bones – 8 cranium and 14 facial bones
Cranial bones enclose the brain and the facial bones form the face, support respiratory and
digestive functions, and attachments for muscles to provide facial expressions
The sense organs of taste, smell, touch, hearing and equilibrium are protected and supported
by the cranial and facial bones
Parts of the Skull
Suture – means seam or stitch; immovable joint found between skull bones
Fontanel – referred to as the “soft spot”; a membrane filled space found between cranial bones
at birth (frontal fontanel and occipital fontanel)
Foramen – a canal or passageway in a bone’s structure through which arteries, veins, or nerve
networks pass through
The Cranial Bones
Frontal Bone (1) – forms the forehead and the superior portion of the orbit; the portion of bone
between the orbits is called the glabella
Parietal Bones (2) – large and curved and form the lateral and superior aspects of the cranial
cavity
Temporal Bones (2) – lateral parts of the cranium – the temples; houses the mastoid process, the
zygomatic process and temporal process which form the zygomatic arch and the styloid
process
Occipital Bone (1) – posterior base of the cranium; houses the external occipital protuberance
and foramen magnum
Sphenoid Bone (1) – binds cranial bones together; resembles a butterfly/bat shape
Ethmoid Bone (1) - anterior floor of the cranium; it is a major support structure of the nasal
cavity
The Facial Bones
Nasal Bones (2) – two bones that form the superior part of the bridge of the nose
Maxillae (2) – form the upper jawbone; articulates with every bone in the face except the
mandible; forms part of inferior orbit, carries the upper teeth and forms the hard, bony roof
of the mouth
Zygomatic Bones (2) – also known as the cheekbones
Mandible (1) - the lower jawbone; largest and strongest facial bone; only moveable bone in the
face
Lacrimal Bones (2) – located in the medial aspect of each orbit
Palatine Bones (2) – with the maxillae, they help to form the hard palate (roof of the mouth)
Vomer Bone (1) – forms the inferior portion of the nasal septum
Inferior Nasal Conchae (2) – spongy bone located in the anterior part of the floor of the cranium,
just below the vomer