Skull Overview

Single Bones – Frontal, Occipital, Sphenoid, Vomer, Mandible

Paired Bones – Temporal, Parietal, Ethmoid, Palatine, Lacrimal, Nasal, Inferior Nasal Concha, Zygomatic, Maxilla

Frontal Bone

Parietal Bone

Temporal Bone

Nasal Bone
Ethmoid Bone
Lacrimal Bone
Sphenoid Bone

Inferior Nasal Concha

Zygomatic Bone

Maxilla

Mandible
Frontal Bone
Anterior skull superior to eyes, majority of the forehead and roof of each orbit
Articulates with parietal (coronal suture), sphenoid, lacrimal, nasal, ethmoid, zygomatic bones and maxilla
Frontal sinuses Superomedial to orbits
Supraorbital ridges Subadjacent to eyebrows, more prominent in adult males
Supraorbital notch/foramen Medial of the supraorbital rim, supraorbital nerve and artery exit the skull
Glabella Elevation between the eyebrows, more prominent in adult males
Frontal eminence More pronounced in children and adult females
Zygomatic process Lateral to the orbit, articulates with zygomatic bone
Lacrimal fossa Internal to lateral supraorbital rim, contains lacrimal gland
Parietal Bone

Greater part of the right and left lateral walls and roof of skull
Articulate with occipital (lambdoidal suture), frontal (coronal suture), temporal, sphenoid bones and each other
(sagittal suture)
Inferior temporal line Continuous with lines in the frontal bone
Superior temporal line

Occipital Bone

Posterior part of the skull and base of cranium

Articulates with parietal (lambdoidal suture), temporal and sphenoid bones, first cervical vertebra (atlas)
Foramen magnum Passageway of brainstem and spinal cord
Occipital condyles Anterolateral to foramen magnum, articulation with atlas (synovial joint)
Basilar portion Anteromedial four-sided plate, with midline projection (pharyngeal tubercle)
Pharyngeal tubercle Midline projection in basilar portion
Jugular notch of occipital bone Forms medial part of the jugular foramen (with temporal bone)
Hypoglossal canal Anterolateral to foramen magnum, just lateral to occipital condyles for CN XII
Superior nuchal line Horizontal on posterior surface, origin of sternocleidomastoid, trapezius and
occipitalis
External occipital protuberance Vertical line, intersecting with nuchal lines
Temporal Bone

Form the lateral walls of the skull in the temporal region and base of the skull in auricular region
Articulates with zygomatic, parietal, occipital, sphenoid bones and mandible
Squamous part Large, fan-shaped, flat part
Tympanic part Small, irregularly shaped, associated with ear canal
Petrous part Inferiorly located, helps form cranial floor

Squamous Part
Zygomatic process of the temporal bone Articulates with zygomatic bone to form zygomatic arch, forms cranial
part of TMJ
Articular fossa Inferior surface of zygomatic process
Articular eminence Anterior to articular fossa
Postglenoid process Posterior to articular fossa

Tympanic Part
External acoustic meatus Short canal leading to tympanic membrane, posterior to articular fossa
Petrotympanic fissure Separates tympanic and petrous parts, posterior to articular fossa, chorda tympani
emerges
Petrous Part
Mastoid process Large, roughened projection, on inferior aspect, posterior to external acoustic
meatus
Mastoid air cells Within mastoid process, communicate wit middle ear, attachment site of
cervical muscles (sternocleidomastoid)
Mastoid notch Medial to mastoid process, deep groove
Styloid process Inferior and medial to external acoustic meatus, long pointed bony projection,
site for muscle attachments of the tongue and pharynx
Stylomastoid foramen Between styloid and mastoid process, carried CN VII
Carotid canal Large circular aperture, ascends vertically then runs horizontally and anteriorly
medial, carries internal carotid artery and carotid plexus into cranium
Jugular notch of temporal bone Forms lateral part of jugular foramen (with occipital bone)
Internal acoustic meatus Intracranial surface, carries CN VII and VIII, smooth and rounded margins,
variable size, leads to a canal 1cm in length running lateral
Sphenoid Bone

Midline bone, runs through the midsagittal plane and internally wedged between other bones in anterior cranium.
Assists with formation of base of the cranium and lateral borders of the skull, floors and walls of each orbit. Helps
to connect cranial skeleton to the facial skeleton
Articulates with frontal, parietal, ethmoid, temporal, zygomatic, palatine, vomer, occipital bones and maxilla
Body Articulates on anterior surface with ethmoid, posteriorly with basilar part of occipital bone
Lesser wing Anterior process, forms the base of the orbital apex
Greater wing Posterolateral process
Body
Anterior body helps form nasal cavity. Lateral surfaces covered by cavernous sinuses
Paranasal sinuses
Sella turcica Superior surface, deep saddle-shaped depression, pituitary fossa (with pituitary gland)
Dorsum sellae Posterior to pituitary fossa, square part of the bone
Tuberculum sellae Anterior to pituitary fossa, slight elevation
Ethmoidal spine Articulates with cribriform plate of ethmoid bone

Infratemporal crest Divides greater wing into two smaller surfaces – temporal and infratemporal
Spine of sphenoid Posterior corner of each greater wing
Pterygoid process Inferior to greater wing, attachment site of some muscles of mastication, two plates
projecting inferiorly - flattened lateral pterygoid and thinner medial pterygoid plates
Pterygoid fossa Lies between two pterygoid plates
Infratemporal fossa Lateral to lateral pterygoid plate
Hamulus Thin, curved process, inferior termination of medial pterygoid plate
Pterygomaxillary fissure Between pterygoid process of sphenoid bone and maxillary tuberosity of maxilla
Superior orbital fissure Carries ophthalmic nerve
Foramen rotundum Carries maxillary nerve
Foramen ovale Carries mandibular nerve
Foramen spinosum Carried middle meningeal artery and vein, meningeal branch of mandibular nerve
Foramen lacerum Formed with parts of temporal and occipital bones
Ethmoid Bone

Midline cranial bone running through the midsagittal plane. Anterior to sphenoid bone in anterior cranium
Articulates with frontal, sphenoid, lacrimal bones and maxilla. Joins vomer at inferior and posterior borders
Perpendicular plate Midline, vertical plate, viewed within nasal cavity, helps form nasal septum
Cribriform plate Horizontal, within inner surface of cranial cavity, surrounds crista galli
Crista galli Continuation of perpendicular plate superiorly into cranial cavity, attachment
for layers covering the brain
Olfactory formina In the cribriform plate, passage of olfactory nerves
Superior nasal concha and middle Lateral part of ethmoid bone, projects inward within nasal cavity, forms
nasal concha paired orbital plates
Orbital plate of the ethmoid bone Forms medial orbital wall
Ethmoidal sinuses/air cells Between orbital plate and each set of conchae, variable number of small
cavities within lateral masses of ethmoid bone
Lateral masses of ethmoid bone Each lateral mass forms part of lateral wall of nasal cavity
Vomer

Thin, flat single midline facial bone. Almost trapezoidal in shape. Forms posterior part of nasal septum
Two lateral surfaces and four borders
Articulates with perpendicular plate of ethmoid bone on the superior half of its anterior border
Inferior half of anterior border grooved for inferior margin of nasal septal cartilage
Sphenoid bone on superior border
Inferior border articulates with median palatine suture between the palatine processes of the maxilla anteriorly
and horizontal plates of the palatine bones posteriorly
Posterior border free of bony articulations and no muscle attachments, separates posterior nasal apertures
Nasopalatine groove Each lateral surface, nasopalatine nerve and branches of sphenopalatine blood vessels
Lacrimal Bones

Irregular, thin plate of bone. Forms a small part of the anterior medial wall of the orbit. Located posterior to
frontal processes of maxilla
Articulates with ethmoid, frontal bones and maxilla
Nasolacrimal duct Formed at the junction of lacrimal bone and maxilla
Nasal Bones

Small, oblong bones that lie side by side fused to form the bridge of the nose in the midline. Fit between frontal
process of maxilla
Articulate with frontal processes of maxilla laterally, frontal bone superiorly (frontonasal suture)

Inferior Nasal Conchae

Project from the maxilla to form part of the lateral walls of the nasal cavity, fragile thin spongy bone curved onto
itself like a scroll
Articulate with the ethmoid, lacrimal, palatine bones and maxilla
Zygomatic Bone

Forms the majority of the cheekbone and helps form lateral wall and floor of the orbit
Articulates with the frontal, temporal, sphenoid bones and maxilla
Frontal process of the zygomatic bone Forms anterolateral orbital wall
Zygomaticofacial foramen Lateral surface of frontal process
Temporal process of zygomatic bone Forms zygomatic arch (with zygomatic process of temporal bone)
Zygomaticotemporal foramen On the temporal process
Maxillary process of zygomatic bone Forms lateral part of the infraorbital rim and small part of anterior lateral
orbital wall
Palatine Bone

L-shaped and consist of two plates – horizontal and vertical. Link between the maxilla and sphenoid bone
Articulate with sphenoid bones, maxilla and each other
Horizontal plates articulate with each other at the posterior part of the median palatine suture underlying the
median palatine raphe and with the palatine processes of the maxilla at the transverse palatine suture
Horizontal plates of the Form the posterior hard palate
palatine bone
Vertical plates of the Form a part of the lateral walls of the nasal cavity and a small part of the orbital apex
palatine bone
Pyramidal process Projects posterolateral from the junction of the vertical and horizontal plates
Greater palatine Posterolateral region of the horizontal plate, superior to the apices of the Mx 2 nd or 3rd
foramen molars, approx. 10mm medial and directly superior to palatal gingival margin, greater
palatine nerve and blood vessels, opening of the pterygopalatine canal
Lesser palatine foramen Smaller opening, lesser palatine nerve and blood vessels to the soft palate and tonsils,
opening of the pterygopalatine canal
Sphenopalatine Between sphenoid bone and orbital processes of palatine bone, opens into nasal cavity,
foramen passage for branches from pterygopalatine ganglion and sphenopalatine artery from
maxillary artery
Maxilla

Body with four process – frontal, zygomatic, palatine, alveolar

Body – pyramid-shaped, four surfaces – orbital, nasal, infratemporal, facial
Articulates with frontal, lacrimal, nasal, inferior nasal concha, vomer, sphenoid, ethmoid, palatine and zygomatic
bones
Intermaxillary suture Joint of the two maxilla bones
Maxillary sinuses Within body of maxilla bone
Frontal process of maxilla Articulates with frontal bone
Inferior orbital fissure Separates maxilla’s orbital surface from sphenoid bone, carries infraorbital and
zygomatic nerves, infraorbital artery, inferior ophthalmic vein
Infraorbital sulcus Groove in the floor of the orbital surface
Infraorbital canal Infraorbital sulcus leads to it, terminates on the facial surface as the infraorbital
foramen
Infraorbital foramen Termination of the infraorbital canal on the facial surface, 10mm inferior to midpoint
of infraorbital rim of the orbit, infraorbital nerve and blood vessels
Canine fossa Inferior to infraorbital foramen, elongated depression, posterosuperior to each of the
roots of the Mx canines
Facial and palatal cortical Part of the alveolar process
plate
Facial ridge Covers the root of each Mx tooth, prominent ridge of bone, part of the alveolar
process
Canine eminence More prominent facial ridge over the roots of the Mx canines
Zygomatic process of the Articulates with the maxillary process of the zygomatic bone laterally
maxilla (zygomaticomaxillary suture), forms medial infraorbital rim,
Infratemporal fossa Infratemporal surface of the body
Maxillary tuberosity Posterior body, rounded and roughened elevation, just posterior to the most distal
Mx molar, border for the infratemporal fossa
Posterior superior Posterosuperior on maxillary tuberosity, perforate infratemporal surface, posterior
alveolar foramen superior alveolar nerve branches and blood vessel branches enter bone from
posterior and open onto infratemporal surface
Palatine process of Articulates with other to form anterior hard palate
maxilla
Median palatine suture Anterior part formed by suture between the palatine processes of the maxillae,
covered by median palatine raphe
Incisive foramen Anterior midline, between articulating palatine processes, palatal to Mx incisors,
carries branches of right and left nasopalatine nerves and sphenopalatine arteries
from nasal cavity to anterior hard palate
Mandible

Only freely moveable bone of the skull, horseshoe-shaped, strongest facial bone
Movable articulation with the temporal bone at the TMJ, occludes with maxillae by dentition
Mental protuberance More pronounced in males
Bony prominence of the skin Inferior to the rots of the Md incisors
Mandibular symphysis Midline anterior surface, faint ridge
Mental foramen Lateral surface, inferior to apices of Md premolars, opening posterosuperior,
entry of mental nerve and blood vessels to mandibular canal to merge with
incisive nerve and blood vessels
Body of the mandible Heavy, horizontal part of the lower jaw, inferior to the mental foramen
Alveolar process of the mandible Superior to body, contains the roots of the Md teeth,
Facial and lingual cortical plate Within alveolar process
Canine eminence More prominent facial ridge over Md canines less extensive than Mx
Ramus Stout, flat plate extends superiorly and posteriorly from the body on each
side, primary site of attachment of some muscles of mastication
Coronoid process Anterior border of the ramus, thin sharp margin termination
Coronoid notch Concave anterior curve, greatest depression on anterior border of mandibular
ramus
External oblique line Inferior to coronoid notch, crest where mandibular ramus joins the body
Condyloid process/condyle Thickening posterior border of mandibular ramus from mandibular angle,
large posterior projection, 2 parts – mandibular condyle and neck
Articulating surface of the Oval head involved in TMJ
condyle
Mandibular notch Between coronoid process and condyle, deep concavity
Genial tubercles Four small projections for muscle attachment
Digastric fossa Near genial tubercles, inferior border of mandible, insertion of anterior
digastric muscle
Lingual foramen
Retromolar ridge Lateral edge of alveolar process, rounded roughened area, just posterior to
the most distal Md molar
Mylohyoid line Along each medial surface of the body of the mandibel, extends posteriorly
and superiorly, more prominent as it moves superiorly, attchment of
mylohyoid muscle , posterior border as attachment for pterygomandibular
raphe, divides sublingual and submandibular fossae
Sublingual fossa Contains sublingual salivary gland, superior to anterior part of mylohyoid line
Submandibular fossa Contains submandibular gland, inferior to the posterior part of mylohyoid
line, deeper depression
Mandibular foramen Medial surface of mandibular ramus
Mandibular canal Mandibular foramen as opening, runs horizontally in a posterior direction
within the body of the mandible, inferior to alveoli, runs obliquely in a
posterosuperior direction in mandibular ramus, carries inferior alveolar nerve
and blood vessels (after merging of mental and incisive nerves)
Lingula Overhanging the mandibular foramen, bony spine, attachment for
sphenomandibular ligament
Mylohyoid groove Small groove, passes anteriorly to and inferiorly from mandibular foramen,
carries mylohyoid nerve and blood vessels
Pterygoid fovea Attachment for lateral pterygoid muscle, anterior surface of the neck of the
condylar process , triangular depression