Bones of the Skull

Cards · 20

Frontal bone

Features the supraorbital foramen and glabella; articulates with parietal bones at the coronal suture and with nasal, zygomatic, and ethmoid bones.

Parietal bones

Paired cranial roof bones; joined centrally by the sagittal suture, to the frontal bone by the coronal suture, and to the occipital bone by the lambdoid suture.

Occipital bone

Features the foramen magnum and occipital condyles; articulates with the atlas (C1) and parietal bones via the lambdoid suture.

Temporal bone

Features the zygomatic process, mandibular fossa, and external acoustic meatus; contains carotid canal and articulates via squamous suture.

Sphenoid bone

Keystone cranial bone featuring sella turcica, optic canal, and superior orbital fissure; articulates with all other cranial bones.

Ethmoid bone

Forms roof of nasal cavity and upper nasal septum; features crista galli and cribriform plate with olfactory foramina; articulates with vomer and frontal bone.

Coronal suture

Dense fibrous articulation separating the frontal bone anteriorly from the two parietal bones posteriorly.

Sagittal suture

Midline articulation joining the superior borders of the left and right parietal bones.

Lambdoid suture

Posterior cranial joint connecting the parietal bones to the occipital bone.

Squamous suture

Curved joint uniting the squamous portion of each temporal bone with the adjacent parietal bone.

Foramen magnum

Large opening in occipital bone transmitting the medulla oblongata, accessory nerves, and vertebral arteries.

Supraorbital foramen

Opening or notch on superior margin of frontal orbit passing supraorbital nerve and vessels.

Infraorbital foramen

Opening inferior to the orbit on maxilla transmitting the infraorbital nerve and blood vessels.

Mental foramen

Anterior opening on lateral surface of the mandibular body conveying mental nerve and vessels to chin.

Maxilla

Upper jaw bone featuring infraorbital foramen and incisive fossa; articulates with zygomatic, nasal, and palatine bones.

Mandible

Lower jaw featuring condylar process, coronoid process, and mandibular notch; articulates with temporal bones at TMJ.

Zygomatic bone

Cheekbone featuring temporal process that forms zygomatic arch; articulates with frontal, maxilla, and temporal bones.

Nasal bones

Paired bones forming bridge of nose; articulate with frontal bone superiorly and maxillae laterally.

Lacrimal bone

Small bone in medial orbit wall containing lacrimal sulcus; articulates with ethmoid, frontal, and maxilla.

Vomer

Unpaired thin bone forming inferior portion of nasal septum; articulates with ethmoid perpendicular plate, maxillae, and palatines.