SKULL
Khushal Jangir
Department – paramedical
Apex University
The skeleton of the head is called the skull.
The skull is a vital part of the axial skeleton. and serve as the bony framework of the [Link] perform several critical
functions including protecting the brain, supporting facial structure.
The skull can be divided into two main parts:
1. Calvaria or Brain box – upper part of the cranium including ear ossicles
Paired Unpaired
Parietal Frontal
Temporal Occipital
Malleus Sphenoid
Incus Ethmoid
Stapes
2. The facial skeleton – constitutes the rest of the skull
Paired Maxilla, Zygomatic, Nasal, Lacrimal, Palatine, Inferior nasal concha
Unpaired Mandible, Vomer
Cranium:
The cranium is formed by a number of flat and irregular bones that protect the brain. It has a base on which the
brain rests and a vault that surrounds and covers it. The periosteum lining the inner surface of the skull bones
forms the outer layer of dura mater.
The bones have numerous foramina through which nerves, blood and lymph vessels pass.
The bones of the cranium are:
Frontal Bone
This is the bone of the forehead. It forms part of the orbital cavities (eye sockets) and the prominent ridges
above the eyes, called . Just above the supraorbital margins, within the bone, are two
air-filled cavities or sinuses lined with ciliated mucous membrane, which open into the nasal cavity.
The joins the frontal and parietal bones.
The frontal bone originates in two parts, joined in the midline by the frontal suture
Parietal Bone
Two parietal bones form a large part of the roof and sides of skull
They articulate with each other at the , with the frontal bone at the , with the
occipital bone at the and with the temporal bones at the .
Outer surface is convex and smooth, inner surface is concave.
Temporal Bone
Temporal bones are situated at the sides and base of skull. & sutures with the parietal, occipital, sphenoid and
zygomatic bones.
the Squamous part are is the thin fan-shaped. That are articulate with the parietal bone. The
articulate with the zygomatic bone to form the zygomatic arch
the mastoid part contains the mastoid process; a thickened region easily felt behind the ear.
temporal bone articulates with the Mandible at the . the only movable Joint of the
skull.
the temporal bone also having & .
Occipital bone
The occipital bone forms the back of the head and part of the base of the skull.
It forms sutures with the parietal, temporal and sphenoid bones.
Its inner surface is deeply concave to accommodate the occipital lobes of the cerebrum and the cerebellum.
it has two articular condyles that form condyloid joints with the first bone of the vertebral column, the atlas.
Between the condyles is the through which the passes into the cranial cavity.
Sphenoid bone
The sphenoid bone occupies the middle portion of the base of the skull and articulates with the occipital,
temporal, parietal and frontal bones. It links the cranial and facial bones, On the superior surface in the middle of
the bone is a little saddle-shaped depression, called the ( ), in which the pituitary
gland rests.
Ethmoid bone
The ethmoid bone occupies the anterior part of the base of the skull and helps to form the orbital cavity, the nasal
septum and the lateral walls of the nasal cavity.
The ethmoid is a very delicate bone containing many air sinuses lined with ciliated epithelium and with openings
into the nasal cavity. The horizontal flattened part, the cribriform plate, forms the roof of the nasal cavity and has
numerous small foramina, through which nerve fibers of the olfactory nerve (sense of smell) pass upwards from
the nasal cavity to the brain.
Sutures
Brain suture are fibrous joint that connect the bones of the skull
They allow for brain growth during infants and childhood and gradually fuse with age
The major suture include the –
Coronal suture – connect the frontal to the parietal bone.
Sagittal suture – Connect parietal bones to each other.
Lambdoid suture – Connect the parietal bone to the occipital bone.
Squamous suture – Connect the to the temporal bone on each side both the skull.
Vertex is the highest point on sagittal suture. located on the midline between the & .
in infant's Cranial bones are separated by Soft spots called they allow the skull to be flexible
during birth & accommodate rapid brain growth in early Life.
there are six fontanelles in a newborns Skull –
– meeting point between the coronal and sagittal sutures. which closes at 18-24 month
of age.
– meeting point between the sagittal and lambdoid sutures. which closes at birth— 2
to 3 months of age
– present at the junction of frontal, parietal, temporal, & sphenoid
bones. Which closes 6-8 month of age.
– present between parietal, occipital, & temporal bone. Which closes 6-18
month of age.
Sphenoidal & mastoid fontanelle present one on each
side.
Facial Skeleton
Form the framework of face and support key functions like breathing, Eating, and facial expression
These bone create the eye socket, nasal cavity and oral cavity. they provide attachment Point for muscles involve in
facial expression, chewing and speech.
It consists of 14 bones that articulated with each other and with the cranium –
Zygomatic(2)
Vomer (1)
Palatine (2)
Mandible (1)
Maxilla(2)
nasal(2)
Inferior nasal concha(2)
Lacrimal(2)
Zygomatic Bone
These are two small quadrilateral bones present in the upper and lateral part of face. The bone forms prominence
of the cheeks.
Surface -
Borders -
process -
Maxilla Bone
Maxilla (cheek) is the second largest bone of the face,
It is a paired bone that form the upper jaw, the anterior part of the roof of the mouth, the lateral walls of the nasal
cavity and part of the floor of the orbital cavity
Each maxilla has a and four — the , , and .
The body of maxilla is pyramidal in shape, with its base directed medially at the nasal surface, and the apex directed
laterally at the zygomatic process.
it has four – , , ,
Lacrimal Bone
These two small bones are posterior and lateral to the nasal bones and form part of the medial wall of the orbital
cavity
Surfaces - Lateral or orbital surface, Medial or nasal surface
Borders – Anterior, Posterior, Superior, Inferior
Nasal Bone
Nasal bones are two small bones, which form the bridge of the nose.
Surfaces – outer and inner
Borders – superior, inferior, medial, lateral
Palatine Bone
Palatine bones are two L-shaped bones present in the posterior part of nasal cavity
Horizontal plate of this bone forms posterior part of the bony palate.
Inferior Nasal Conchae
It is a paired, scroll-shaped bone located on the lateral wall of the nasal cavity.
Between this concha and floor of the nose lies the inferior meatus of the nose.
It has two surfaces – medial & lateral
Two borders – superior & inferior
Two ends – anterior & posterior
Vomer
Vomer is a single thin, flat bone forming posteroinferior part of the nasal septum.
Superiorly it articulate with the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone.
Mandible
is the largest and the strongest bone of the face.
It is the only movable bone of the skull
It play a central role in chewing, speaking & facial structure
Body of mandible – containing the alveolar process where the teeth reside
it has outer & inner surfaces and upper and lower borders
Ramus of mandible – quadrilateral in shape
It has two surface – lateral & medial
Four borders – upper, lower, anterior, posterior
Two process – coronoid & condyloid(articulate with the temporal bone to form the temporomandibular joint)