FACIAL SKELETON
SPLANCHOCRANIUM/VISCEROCRANIUM
27. 11. 2013
Kaan Yücel
M.D., Ph.D.
http://yeditepeanatomy1.org
Dr.Kaan Yücel
http://yeditepeanatomy1.org
Facial skeleton
The skeleton of your face is made up by the remaining 14 bones of the cranium.
They are:
•
Two Nasal bones
•
Two Maxillæ
•
Mandible
•
Two Lacrimal bones
•
Two Zygomatic bones
•
Two Palatines
•
Two Inferior Nasal Conchæ
•
Vomer
The viscerocranium forms the anterior part of the cranium and consists of the bones surrounding the mouth
(upper and lower jaws), nose/nasal cavity, and most of the orbits (eye sockets or orbital cavities). The
viscerocranium consists of 14 irregular bones: 2 singular bones centered on or lying in the midline (mandible and
vomer) and 6 bones occurring as bilateral pairs (maxillae; inferior nasal conchae; and zygomatic, palatine, nasal,
and lacrimal bones).
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Dr.Kaan Yücel
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Facial skeleton
1. SKELETON OF THE FACE
The lower and anterior part of the cranium is the facial skeleton (viscerocranium). The skeleton of
the face is made up by 14 bones.

Two Nasal bones

Two Maxillæ

Mandible

Two Lacrimal bones

Two Zygomatic bones

Two Palatines

Two Inferior Nasal Conchæ

Vomer
The viscerocranium forms the anterior part of the cranium and consists of the bones surrounding the
mouth (upper and lower jaws), nose/nasal cavity, and most of the orbits (eye sockets or orbital cavities).
The viscerocranium consists of 14 irregular bones: 2 singular bones centered on or lying in the midline
(mandible and vomer) and 6 bones occurring as bilateral pairs (maxillae; inferior nasal conchae; and
zygomatic, palatine, nasal, and lacrimal bones).
The maxillae and mandible house the teeth—that is, they provide the sockets and supporting bone for
the maxillary and mandibular teeth. The maxillae contribute the greatest part of the upper facial skeleton,
forming the skeleton of the upper jaw, which is fixed to the cranial base. The mandible forms the skeleton
of the lower jaw, which is movable because it articulates with the cranial base at the temporomandibular
joints.
Several bones of the cranium (frontal, temporal, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones) are pneumatized
bones, which contain air spaces (air cells or large sinuses), presumably to decrease their weight. The total
volume of the air spaces in these bones increases with age.
2. BONES OF THE VISCEROCRANIUM
2.1. NASAL BONES
The nasal bones are two small oblong bones, varying in size and form in different individuals; they
are placed side by side at the middle and upper part of the face, and form, by their junction, “the bridge”
of the nose. Each has two surfaces and four borders.
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Figure 1. Nasal bone and other facial bones
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Illu_facial_bones.jpg/250px-Illu_facial_bones.jpg
2.2. MAXILLÆ (UPPER JAW)
The maxillae are the largest bones of the face, excepting the mandible, and form, by their union,
the whole of the upper jaw. Each assists in forming the boundaries of three cavities: the roof of the mouth,
the floor and lateral wall of the nose and the floor of the orbit. It has two fissures, the inferior orbital and
pterygomaxillary fissures.
Each bone consists of a body and four processes—zygomatic, frontal, alveolar, and palatine. The
maxillae form the upper jaw; their alveolar processes include the tooth sockets (alveoli) and constitute the
supporting bone for the maxillary teeth. The two maxillae are united at the intermaxillary suture in the
median plane. The maxillae surround most of the piriform aperture and form the infra-orbital margins
medially. They have a broad connection with the zygomatic bones laterally and an infraorbital foramen
inferior to each orbit for passage of the infra-orbital nerve and vessels.
Figure 2. Maxilla
http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/E_MAXILLA.HTM
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2.3. MANDIBLE (LOWER JAW)
The mandible is the largest and strongest bone of the face, serves for the reception of the lower
teeth. It is a U-shaped bone with an alveolar process that supports the mandibular teeth.
The lower jaw (mandible) is the most inferior structure in the anterior view of the skull. The body of
mandible is arbitrarily divided into two parts:
 lower part is the base of mandible;
 upper part is the alveolar part of mandible.
The mandible consists of a head, a curved, horizontal portion, the body, and two perpendicular
portions, the rami (sing. ramus, which means branch). The two rami of the mandible unite with the ends
of the body nearly at right angles. Just below the head of the mandible, is the neck of the mandible.
The body of mandible is arbitrarily divided into two parts: the lower part is the base of mandible;
the upper part is the alveolar part of mandible. On the superior part of the ramus a condylar process and a
coronoid process extend upward. The condylar process is involved in articulation of the mandible with the
temporal bone, and the coronoid process is the point of attachment for the temporalis muscle. The head
of the mandible enters the fossa mandibularis in the temporal bone when it comes to the
temporomandibular joint.
Mandibular notch is a deep concavity between the condylar and coronoid processes. Inferior to the
second premolar teeth are the mental foramina for the mental nerves and vessels.
Continuing past this foramen is a ridge (oblique line) passing from the front of the ramus onto the body of
mandible. The oblique line is a point of attachment for muscles that depress the lower lip.
The incisive canal is a continuation forward of the mandibular canal beyond the mental foramen and
below the incisor teeth.
The mental protuberance, forming the prominence of the chin, is a triangular bony elevation inferior to
the mandibular symphysis (L. symphysis menti), the osseous union where the halves of the infantile
mandible fuse. Just lateral to the mental protuberance, on either side, are slightly more pronounced
bumps (mental tubercles).
Interior view
Medial to the condylar process is the pterygoid fossa. Mandibular foramen lies inferior to this fossa.
Lingula is a tongue-like bony process over the mandibular foramen. The internal surface of the body bears
an oblique ridge, the mylohyoid line, which begins a short distance below the last molar tooth as a
prominent crest. Below the mylohyoid line is a concave area, termed the submandibular fossa, which
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lodges the submandibular salivary gland. Running forward from the ramus into the submandibular fossa is
the shallow mylohyoid groove which fades out anteriorly. Immediately above the line is the shallow
sublingual fossa for the salivary gland of the same name. The inferior border of the body is marked, a little
to each side of the midline, by the small, roughened digastric fossa for attachment of the anterior belly of
the digastric muscle. The digastric fossa is on either on either side of the symphysis menti.
Figure 3. Mandible (Lat., mandibula)
http://facialfractures.blogspot.com
2.4. LACRIMAL BONE
The lacrimale bone is the smallest and most fragile bone of the face is situated at the front part of the
medial wall of the orbit.
Figure 4. Lacrimal bone
http://www.upstate.edu/cdb/education/grossanat/hnskullantlb.shtml
2.5. ZYGOMATIC BONES
cheek bones, malar bones
The zygomatic bones are quadrilateral bones. The zygomatic bones form the prominence of the
cheeks, and that is why we also call them as “the cheek bones”. They are located on the maxillae on each
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side and inferolateral sides of the orbits. The walls, floor and much of the infra-orbital margins of the orbits
are formed by the zygomatic bones. It has temporal and frontal processes.
A small zygomaticofacial foramen pierces the lateral aspect of each bone. The zygomatic bones
articulate with the frontal, sphenoid, and temporal bones and the maxillae.
Figure 5. Zygomatic bone’s location in the skull
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/zygomatic+bone
Figure 6. Zygomatic bone
http://www.upstate.edu/cdb/education/grossanat/hnskullantzb2.shtml
2.6. PALATINE BONE
The palatine bone is situated at the back part of the nasal cavity between the maxilla and the
pterygoid process of the sphenoid. It contributes to the walls of three cavities: the floor and lateral wall of
the nasal cavity, the roof of the mouth, and the floor of the orbit. It has one horizontal plate, and a vertical
(perpendicular) plate. It also three prolongations; orbital, maxillary (pyramidal) and sphenoidal
processes. The sphenopalatine foramen is between the orbital and sphenoidal processes of the palatine
bone.
HARD PALATE (BONY PALATE)
The hard palate (bony palate) is formed by the palatine processes of the maxillae anteriorly and the
horizontal plates of the palatine bones posteriorly.
The paired palatine processes of each maxilla meet in the midline at the intermaxillary suture, the
paired maxilla and the paired palatine bones meet at the palatomaxillary suture, and the paired horizontal
plates of each palatine bone meet in the midline at the interpalatine suture.
Several additional features are also visible when the hard palate is examined:
incisive fossa in the anterior midline immediately posterior to the teeth, the walls of which contain
incisive foramina (the openings of the incisive canals, which are passageways between the hard palate and
nasal cavity);
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greater palatine foramina near the posterolateral border of the hard palate on each side, which
lead to greater palatine canals;
just posterior to the greater palatine foramina, the lesser palatine foramina in the pyramidal
process of each palatine bone, which lead to lesser palatine canals;
a midline pointed projection (posterior nasal spine) in the free posterior border of the hard palate
Superior to the posterior edge of the palate are two large openings: the choanae (posterior nasal
apertures), which are separated from each other by the vomer (L. plowshare), a flat unpaired bone of
trapezoidal shape that forms a major part of the bony nasal septum.
Figure 7. Palatine bone
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/os+palatinum
Figure 8. Hard palate
http://www.gla.ac.uk/ibls/US/cal/anatomy/cleftpalate/final/hardp975.htm
2.7. INFERIOR NASAL CONCHA
Concha Nasalis Inferior; Inferior Turbinated Bone
The inferior nasal concha extends horizontally along the lateral wall of the nasal cavity. The anterior
and middle nasal conchae are not separate bones but parts of the ethmoid bone.
Figure 9. Inferior nasal concha
http://www.bcnlp.ac.th/Anatomy/page/apichat/bone/page/inferior-concha.html
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2.8. VOMER
Vomer is a small bone in the midline, resting on the sphenoid bone. It contributes to the formation
of the bony nasal septum separating the two choanae.
Figure 10. Vomer
http://www.ask.com/wiki/Vomer
3. IMPORTANT LANDMARKS
Bregma: The midline point where the coronal and sagittal sutures intersect
Lambda: The midline point where the sagittal and lambdoid sutures intersect.
Glabella: The most forward projecting point in the midline of the forehead at the level of the supraorbital ridges and above the nasofrontal suture
Pterion: The point of intersection between the frontal, sphenoid, parietal and the temporal bones
Nasion: The point of intersection between the frontonasal suture and the midsagittal plane.
Gnathion: The most anterior and lowest median point on the border of the mandible.
Inion: The most prominent point of the external occipital protuberance.
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Facial skeleton
Figure 11. Landmarks of the skull
http://chestofbooks.com/health/anatomy/Human-Body-Construction/Craniocerebral-Topography.html
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