SKULL

By
Dr. Huda Moutaz Ismael
College of dentistry /University of Baghdad
Department of oral & maxillofacial surgery
 Basic Anatomy

The head and neck region of the body contains

many important structures compressed into a
relatively small area.
 The Head
• The head is formed mainly by the skull with the brain
and its covering meninges enclosed in the cranial
cavity.
• The special senses, the eye and the ear, lie within the
skull bones or in the cavities bounded by them.
• The brain gives rise to 12 pairs of cranial nerves,
which leave the brain and pass through foramina and
fissures in the skull.
Bones of the Skull
Composition:
• The skull is composed of several separate
bones united at immobile joints called
sutures.
• The connective tissue between the bones is
called a sutural ligament.
• The mandible is an exception to this rule, for it
is united to the skull by the mobile
temporomandibular joint
Bones of the Skull

• The bones of the skull can be divided into those of the cranium and
those of the face.

• The vault is the upper part of the cranium, and the base of the skull is
the lowest part of the cranium.
Sagittal section of a human skull, showing the cranial vault
Bones of the Skull

• The skull bones are made up of external and internal tables of

compact bone separated by a layer of spongy bone called the diploë .
The internal table is thinner and more brittle than the external table.
Bones of the Skull

• The cranium consists of the following bones, two of which are paired
:
• Frontal bone: 1
• Parietal bones: 2
• Occipital bone: 1
• Temporal bones: 2
• Sphenoid bone: 1
• Ethmoid bone: 1
 Bones of the Skull
• The facial bones consist of the following, two of which
are single:
• Zygomatic bones: 2
• Maxillae: 2
• Nasal bones: 2
• Lacrimal bones: 2
• Vomer: 1
• Palatine bones: 2
• Inferior conchae: 2
• Mandible: 1
External Views of the Skull
Anterior View of the Skull:
Frontal bone: (forehead bone):
• curves downward to make the upper
margins of the orbits.

• The superciliary arches can be seen on

either side, and the supraorbital notch,
or foramen, can be recognized.
Anterior View of the Skull:
Frontal bone:
Articulation
Medially, the frontal bone articulates
with the frontal processes of the
maxillae and with the nasal bones.

Laterally, the frontal bone articulates

with the zygomatic bone.
Anterior View of the Skull:
Frontal bone:

• Within the frontal bone, just above

the orbital margins, are two hollow
spaces lined with mucous
membrane called the frontal air
sinuses. These communicate with
the nose and serve as voice
resonators.
Anterior View of the Skull:
Nasal bones
• The two nasal bones form the bridge of the
nose.
• Their lower borders, with the maxillae,
make the anterior nasal aperture.
• The nasal cavity is divided into two by the
bony nasal septum, which is largely formed
by the vomer.
• The superior and middle conchae are
shelves of bone that project into the nasal
cavity from the ethmoid on each side; the
inferior conchae are separate bones.
The nasal cavity is divided into two
by the bony nasal septum, which is
largely formed by the vomer.
The superior and middle conchae
are shelves of bone that project into
the nasal cavity from the ethmoid on
each side; the inferior conchae are
separate bones.
Anterior View of the Skull:
Maxillae
• The two maxillae form the upper jaw, the
anterior part of the hard palate, part of
the lateral walls of the nasal cavities, and
part of the floors of the orbital cavities.
• The two bones meet in the midline at the
intermaxillary suture and form the lower
margin of the nasal aperture.
• Below the orbit, the maxilla is perforated
by the infraorbital foramen.
infraorbital foramen.
Anterior View of the Skull:
Maxillae
• The alveolar process projects downward
and, together with the fellow of the
opposite side, forms the alveolar arch,
which carries the upper teeth.

• Within each maxilla is a large, pyramid-

shaped cavity lined with mucous
membrane called the maxillary sinus. This
communicates with the nasal cavity and
serves as a voice resonator.
Anterior View of the Skull:
The zygomatic bone

• forms the prominence of the cheek

and part of the lateral wall and floor
of the orbital cavity.

• The zygomatic bone is perforated by

two foramina for the zygomaticofacial
and zygomaticotemporal nerves.
Anterior View of the Skull:
The zygomatic bone
Articulation
• Medially, it articulates with the
maxilla

• Laterally it articulates with the

zygomatic process of the temporal
bone to form the zygomatic arch.
Anterior View of the Skull:
• The mandible, or lower jaw, consists of a
horizontal body and two vertical rami
Lateral View of the Skull
• The frontal bone forms the anterior part of the side of
the skull and articulates with the parietal bone at the
coronal Suture

• The parietal bones form the sides and roof of the

cranium and articulate with each other in the midline at
the sagittal suture. They articulate with the occipital
bone behind, at the lambdoid suture.
Lateral View of the Skull

• The skull is completed at the side by the squamous part of the

occipital bone; parts of the temporal bone, namely, the squamous,
tympanic, mastoid process, styloid process, and zygomatic process;
and the greater wing of the sphenoid bone.

• The ramus and body of the mandible lie inferiorly.

Lateral View of the Skull
• The thinnest part of the lateral wall of the skull is where
the anteroinferior corner of the parietal bone
articulates with the greater wing of the sphenoid; this
point is referred to as the pterion.
• Clinically, the pterion is an important area because it
overlies the anterior division of the middle meningeal
artery and vein.
Lateral View of the Skull
• The superior and inferior temporal lines, which begin
as a single line from the posterior margin of the
zygomatic process of the frontal bone and diverge as
they arch backward.

• The temporal fossa lies below the inferior temporal

line.
Lateral View of the Skull

• The infratemporal fossa lies below the

infratemporal crest on the greater wing
of the sphenoid.
• The pterygomaxillary fissure is a
vertical fissure that lies within the fossa
between the pterygoid process of the
sphenoid bone and back of the maxilla.
It leads medially into the
pterygopalatine fossa.
Lateral View of the Skull
• The inferior orbital fissure is a horizontal fissure between the greater
wing of the sphenoid bone and the maxilla. It leads forward into the
orbit.
Lateral View of the Skull
• The pterygopalatine fossa is a small space
behind and below the orbital cavity.
• It communicates:
 laterally with the infratemporal fossa
through the pterygomaxillary fissure,
medially with the nasal cavity through the
sphenopalatine foramen,
superiorly with the skull through the
foramen
rotundum,
anteriorly with the orbit through the inferior
orbital fissure.
Posterior View of the Skull

• The posterior parts of the two

parietal bones with the
intervening sagittal suture are seen
above.

• Below the parietal bones articulate

with the squamous part of the
occipital bone at the lambdoid
suture.
Posterior View of the Skull
• On each side the occipital bone articulates with the
temporal bone.
• In the midline of the occipital bone is a roughened
elevation called the external occipital protuberance,
which gives attachment to muscles and the ligamentum
nuchae.
• On either side of the protuberance the superior nuchal
lines extend laterally toward the temporal bone.
external occipital protuberance
Inferior nuchal line
Superior View of the Skull
• Anteriorly, the frontal bone articulates
with the two parietal bones at the
coronal suture.

• Occasionally, the two halves of the

frontal bone fail to fuse, leaving a
midline metopic suture.

• Behind, the two parietal bones

articulate in the midline at the
sagittal suture.
Inferior View of the Skull
• If the mandible is discarded, the
anterior part of this aspect of the skull is
seen to be formed by the hard palate .
The palatal processes of the maxillae
and the horizontal plates of the palatine
bones can be identified.
• In the midline anteriorly is the incisive
fossa and foramen.
• Posterolaterally are the greater and
lesser palatine foramina.
Inferior View of the Skull
• Above the posterior edge of the hard palate are the
Choanae (posterior nasal apertures). These are
separated from each other by the posterior margin of
the vomer and are bounded laterally by the medial
pterygoid plates of the phenoid bone.
• The inferior end of the medial pterygoid plate is
prolonged as a curved spike of bone, the pterygoid
hamulus.
Inferior View of the Skull

• Posterolateral to the lateral pterygoid plate, the

greater wing of the sphenoid is pierced by the
large foramen ovale and the small foramen
spinosum.

• Posterolateral to the foramen spinosum is the

spine of the sphenoid.
Inferior View of the Skull

• Behind the spine of the sphenoid, in the interval

between the greater wing of the sphenoid and the
petrous part of the temporal bone, is a groove for the
cartilaginous part of the auditory tube.

• The opening of the bony part of the tube can be

identified.
 Inferior View of the Skull
• The mandibular fossa of the temporal
bone and the articular tubercle form the
upper articular surfaces for the
temporomandibular joint.
• Separating the mandibular fossa from the
tympanic plate posteriorly is the
squamotympanic fissure, through the
medial end of which the chorda tympani
nerve exits from the tympanic cavity.

mandibular fossa
Inferior View of the Skull
• The styloid process of the temporal
bone projects downward and
forward from its inferior aspect.
Inferior View of the Skull

• The opening of the carotid canal can

be seen on the inferior surface of the
petrous part of the temporal bone.

Carotid canal.
Inferior View of the Skull
• The medial end of the petrous part of
the temporal bone is irregular and,
together with the basilar part of the
occipital bone and the greater wing of
the sphenoid, forms the foramen
lacerum.

• During life, the foramen lacerum is

closed with fibrous tissue, and only a
few small vessels pass through this
foramen from the cavity of the skull to
the exterior.
Foramen lacerum (is a triangular hole in the base of the
skull located between the sphenoid, apex of petrous
temporal and basilar part of occipital)
 Inferior View of the Skull

• The tympanic plate, which

forms part of the temporal
bone, is C shaped on
section and forms the bony
part of the external
auditory meatus.
Inferior View of the Skull
• In the interval between the styloid and mastoid
processes, the stylomastoid foramen can be seen.

• Medial to the styloid process, the petrous part of the

temporal bone has a deep notch, which, together with
a shallower notch on the occipital bone, forms the
jugular foramen.
 Inferior View of the Skull
• Behind the posterior apertures of
the nose and in front of the
foramen magnum are the
sphenoid bone and the basilar part
of the occipital bone.
• The pharyngeal tubercle is a small
prominence on the undersurface
of the basilar part of the occipital
bone in the midline.
 Inferior View of the Skull

• The occipital condyles articulate with the

superior aspect of the lateral mass of the
first cervical vertebra, the atlas.

• Superior to the occipital condyle is the

hypoglossal canal for transmission of the
hypoglossal nerve

occipital condyles
The probe is pointing through the
hypoglossal canal, which is located
directly superior and slightly anterior
to its corresponding occipital
condyle
 Inferior View of the Skull

• Posterior to the foramen magnum

in the midline is the external
occipital protuberance. The
superior nuchal lines should be
identified as they curve laterally on
each side.

External Occipital Protuberance

superior nuchal lines
Thank u