SKULL OR BONY SKELETON OF THE HEAD

➢ Rest on the superior end of the vertebral

column.
➢ Also called cranium or calvaria
➢ Composed of 22 bones.
➢ The skull bones are made up of external and
internal tables of compact bone separated by a
layer of spongy bone called DIPLOE.
▪ PERIOSTEUM - covering of the outer and
inner surfaces of the skull.
▪ PERICRANIUM - outer layer FRONTAL BONE
▪ ENDOCRANIUM - inner layer ➢ Forms the anterior third of the cranial dome.
➢ Forms the forehead, the superior part or roofs
CEREBRAL CRANIUM of each orbit and anterior part of the cranial
➢ Part of the skull that surrounds and form the floor.
protective housing for the brain. ➢ Has a cavity containing the frontal sinus which
➢ Also called the brain case is posterior to the glabella
➢ Composed of 8 bones ➢ Has 3 main parts
1. Calvarium or Skull Cap 1. Squamous or Vertical Portion
➢ Upper part of the cranium. 2. Orbital or Horizontal portion
➢ 1 Frontal bone 3. Nasal Portion
➢ 2 Parietal bones 1. SQUAMOUS OR VERTICAL -forms the
➢ 1 Occipital bone forehead
2. Floor/Base of the Skull A. Glabella
➢ Lowest part of the cranium ➢ Smooth prominence between the eyebrow and
➢ 2 Temporal bones above the bridge of the nose.
➢ 1 Sphenoid bone B. Supraorbital Groove (SOG)
➢ 1 Ethmoid bone ➢ Slight depression above each eyebrow.
➢ Level of anterior fossa of the cranial vault
VISCERAL CRANIUM OR THE FACIAL BONES ➢ Same level as the orbital plate
➢ Contribute to the shape and a form of a ➢ Highest level of the facial bones mass.
person's face. C. Supra Orbital Margin (SOM)
➢ Forms the protective housing for the eyes, ➢ Superior rim of each orbit and covered by the
upper ends of the respiratory and digestive eyebrow.
tracts. ➢ It has a small opening called supraorbital
➢ Composed of 14 bones notch/foramen where artery and nerve pass
➢ 2 Maxillary bones through.
➢ 2 Zygomatic bones D. Superciliary Ridge
➢ 2 Nasal bones ➢ Ridge of bone on each eyebrow.
➢ 2 Lacrimal bones E. Frontal Tuberosity /Eminence
➢ 2 Palatine bones ➢ Large rounded prominence on each side of the
➢ 1 Vomer squamous portion.
➢ 1 Lacrimal F. Frontal Sinuses
➢ 1 Inferior nasal conchae ➢ Paired cavities of the frontal bone above the
➢ 1 Mandible supraorbital margins.
➢ Act as sound chambers that give the voice
SKULL resonance.
2. ORBITAL OR HORIZONTAL
➢ The superior part or roof of the orbit
➢ Consist of 2 orbital plates
➢ It also forms the floor of the anterior cranial
fossa.
➢ Below the orbital plate lies the facial bone.
➢ Above the orbital plate lies the anterior part of
the floor of the brain case.
A. Ethmoidal Notch OCCIPITAL BONE
➢ Definite gap between the medial borders of the ➢ Forms part of posterior wall and inferior part of
2 orbital plates. the cranium.
➢ Articulates with the ethmoid bone. ➢ Joins with the parietal bone to form the
➢ The nasal spine is found at the anterior end of lambdoidal suture.
the ethmoidal notch. A. Foramen Magnum
➢ The cribiform plate of the ethmoid bone fits ➢ Largest foramen in the skull
into this space. ➢ Great hole of the skull
3. NASAL PORTION ➢ Large opening in the inferior part of the
➢ Part of the frontal bone that extends occipital bone through which the medulla
downwards in the midline between the oblongata joins the spinal cord.
supraorbital margins.
➢ Articulates with the nasal and lacrimal bones 1. SQUAMOUS PART
and frontal processes of the maxilla. ➢ Rounded external surface forms the most back
A. Nasal spine portion of the head.
➢ Pointed process that forms a small part of the ➢ It curves forward to help form the base of the
nasal septum behind the nasofrontal skull.
articulations A. External Occipital Protuberance
B. Ethmoid sinuses ➢ Prominent bump at the inferoposterior portion
➢ Honeycombed mucosa lined air spaces within of the skull.
lateral masses of bone. ➢ Also called Inion
B. Internal Occipital Protuberance
FRONTAL BONE ➢ Prominence on the internal surface of the
squamous part opposite the inion.
2. LATERAL PART
➢ Lies on either side of the foramen magnum
between the squamous part posteriorly and
basal part in front.
A. Hypoglossal Canal
➢ Short passages from each lateral margin of the
foramen magnum.
➢ The hypoglossal or 12h nerves leave the
PARIETAL BONE cranium by these canals.
➢ Form the lateral wall of the cranium B. Occipital Condyles
➢ Part of the roof or the vertex of the skull ➢ Oval process with convex surface on each side
➢ Vertex-the highest point of the skull of the foramen magnum.
A. Parietal Eminence ➢ Also called the lateral condylars
➢ Also called parietal tuberosity ➢ Articulates with the atlas (C1) to form the
➢ A rounded prominence on the lateral surface of atlanto-occipital joint
each parietal bone. 3. BASILAR PART
➢ The distance between the two eminences is the ➢ Part of the occipital that is anterior to the
greatest transverse diameter of the skull. foramen magnum.
➢ Widest portion of the entire skull ➢ Unites with the sphenoid bone anteriorly to
form the base of the skull.
PARIETAL BONE
 TEMPORAL BONE C. Mastoid Foramen
➢ Complex structures housing the delicate ➢ Located at the posterior border of the mastoid
organs of hearing and balance. process that serves as a passageway to the
➢ Lies at the sides of the cranium, extending transverse sinus and occipital artery to the
inward to form part of the cranial floor. dura mater.
➢ Situated between the sphenoid bone D. Attic Aditus
anteriorly and occipital bone posteriorly. ➢ Opening between the epitympanic recesses
➢ Articulates with 3 cranial bones; parietal, and mastoid portion.
occipital and the sphenoid. Also articulates ➢ Connects with the antrum of the mastoid air
with two facial bones. cells.
E. Tegmen Tympani
➢ Roof of the antrum, attic and aditus of the
tympanic cavity.

TEMPORAL BONE PETROUS PORTION

3. PETROUS PORTION
➢ Also called petrous pyramid, pars petrosa or
petromastoid.
➢ Named from the Greek word for stone because
of extreme hardness
➢ Contain the organ of hearing (external, middle
and inner ear).
TEMPORAL BONE SQUAMOUS PORTION ➢ Petrous ridges - upper border of the petrous
1. SQUAMOUS PORTION pyramid.
➢ Thin upper portion forming part of the wall of ➢ hickest and densest part of the temporal bone.
the skull. A. Carotid Foramen Canal
➢ Most vulnerable portion of the skull to ➢ Passageway for the internal carotid artery.
fracture. B. Jugular Foramen
A. Zygomatic Process ➢ Passageway for the jugular vein,
➢ Anteriorly located from the squamous portion. glossopharyngeal, vagus and accessory nerves.
➢ Articulates with temporal process of the
zygoma to form the zygomatic arch. TEMPORAL BONE PETROUS PORTION
B. TemporoMandibular Fossa (external ear)
➢ Oval shaped depression anterior to external C. External Ear
auditory meatus. 1.) Pinna
➢ Articulates with the mandibular condyle to ➢ Also called the auricle
form the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). ➢ Projecting part of the external ear made
C. Styloid Process of elastic cartilage and covered by skin.
➢ Bony slender projection inferior to the 2.) Tragus
mandible and external auditory meatus where ➢ Small liplike structure located anterior
neck muscles and ligaments are attached. to the external auditory meatus.
➢ Acts as partial shield to ear opening.
TEMPORAL BONE MASTOID PORTION 3.) External Auditory Meatus
2. MASTOID PORTION ➢ 2.5 cm long tube extending from the external
➢ Posterior to the external auditory meatus ear to the tympanic membrane.
➢ Has a prominent mastoid process or tip.
➢ Composed of air cells.
A. Mastoid Process
➢ ounded bony projection posterior to the
external auditory meatus just behind the ear.
➢ Serves as an attachment to several neck
muscles.
B. Mastoid Air Cells
➢ Mucosa lined air filled spaces within the
mastoid process.
TEMPORAL BONE PETROUS PORTION 1. Osseous/Bony Labyrinth
(middle ear) ➢ Series of cavities in the petrous portion of the
D. Middle Ear temporal bone.
➢ Irregularly shaped air containing cavity that ➢ Houses the membranous labyrinth
is located between external and internal ear. 1. Cochlea - most anterior part
1. Tympanic Membrane 2. Vestibule - central portion
➢ Partition of the external and middle ear. 3. Semicircular canals - most posterior
2. Tympanic Cavity 2. Membranous Labyrinth
➢ Communicates anteriorly with the ➢ Series of intercommunicating ducts and sac.
nasopharynx by way of Eustachian tube.
3. Auditory Ossicles
➢ 3 small bones of the middle ear. SPHENOID BONE
➢ Connects the middle ear cavity to transmit ➢ The keystone of the cranial floor because it
sound vibrations to the inner ear. articulates with all the other cranial bones.
✓ Malleus – Hammer ➢ Spheno means wedge.
✓ Incus- Anvil ➢ Centrally located and the anchor for all eight
✓ Stapes - Stirrup cranial bones.
➢ Butterfly or bat shaped bone that forms part of
the anterior floor and sides of the cranium.
➢ Parts of the sphenoid bone includes the Body,
Greater Wing, Lesser Wing and Pterygoid
Process.

SPHENOID BONE (BODY)

➢ The central part and lies in the midline of the
base of the skull.
➢ It contains the sphenoid sinuses.
4.Eustachian Tube 1. Chiasmatic or Optic Groove
➢ Connects the middle ear with the nasopharynx ➢ Groove like canals through which the optic
nerve and certain arteries pass into the
orbital cavity.
2. Optic Canals
➢ Two short passages extending anteriorly and
laterally from the side of the sphenoid body.
➢ Carry optic nerves and ophthalmic vessels
from the cranium to the orbits.
➢ Also called optic foramina.
3. Sella Tursica
➢ Also called Turkish Saddle
➢ Saddle like bony depression on the upper
TEMPORAL BONE PETROUS PORTION surface of the body of the sphenoid
(inner ear) 4. Pituitary Fossa
E. Inner Ear ➢ Also called Hypophyseal Fossa
=Contains the essential sensory or pinna ➢ The central cavity of the sella fursica
apparatus of organ and hearing. ➢ Partially surrounds and protects the
pituitary gland or HYPOPHYSIS
5. Posterior Clinoid Process
➢ Small extensions superior to the dorsum
sellae.
6. Middle Clinoid Process
➢ Lies on each side of the upper anterior surface
of the sella tursica medial and posterior to the
opening of the optic canal.
7. Carotid Groove
➢ Accommodates the internal carotid artery.
8. Sphenoidal Air Sinuses
➢ Cavities within the body of the sphenoid bone.
➢ Irregular mucosa lined, air filled spaces within
central part of the sphenoid.
9. Dorsum Sellae
➢ Back of the saddle
➢ Posterior wall of sella tursica.
10. Clivus
➢ Shallow depression just posterior to the base
of the dorsum sellae.
➢ Forms a base of support for the pons portion of
the brain. ETHMOID BONE
➢ Lies primarily below the floor of the cranium.
SPHENOID BONE (GREATER WING) ➢ Anterior to the sphenoid bone.
➢ Also called the major wing of the sphenoid
➢ Form portion of the floor and sides of the
cranium.
➢ Have 3 openings for passage of certain nerves
and blood vessels.
1. Superior Orbital Fissures
➢ Provide additional communication with the
orbits for numerous nerves and blood vessels.
1. Foramen rotundum
➢ a branch of cranial nerve V (maxillary 1. Cribiform Plate
division) passes through. ➢ Small upper horizontal portion
2. Foramen ovale ➢ Contains many small openings through which
➢ a branch of cranial nerve V mandibular pass the olfactory nerves - sense of smell
division) passes through. 2. Crista Galli
3. Foramen spinosum ➢ Also called the Rooster's Comb
➢ provides passageway for the middle ➢ Projects superiorly from the cribiform plate.
meningeal artery 3. Perpendicular Plate
➢ Help forms the upper portion of the bony nasal
SPHENOID BONE (LESSER WING) septum
➢ Also called minor wing ➢ Extends inferiorly from the cribiform.
➢ Triangular in shape ending in the anterior 4. Lateral Labyrinths or Masses
clinoid process. ➢ Contains the ethmoidal sinuses
➢ Form part of the floor of the cranium and the ➢ Help form the medial walls of the orbit and
posterior part of the orbit. lateral walls of the nasal cavity
1. Anterior Clinoid Process 5. Superior and Middle Nasal Conchae
➢ Anterior and superior to the sella tursica. ➢ Thin scroll shaped projections of bone

SPHENOID BONE (PTERYGOID PROCESS)

➢ Form part of the lateral walls of the nasal
cavities.
➢ Also articulate with the posterior margin of the
adjacent maxilla.
 MAXILLARY BONE LACRIMAL BONE
➢ Largest of the immovable bone of the face. ➢ The word lacrimal means fear.
➢ 2ND Largest facial bone ➢ Form a part of the medial wall of the orbit.
➢ The keystone in the architecture of the face. ➢ The smallest bone of the face.
➢ Contains the maxillary sinus (Antrum of ➢ About the shape of a fingernail.
Highmore) ➢ Closely associated with the tear ducts.
➢ The most important bone of the upper face. ➢ Together with the nasal bone it is the thinnest
➢ Also called the upper jaw bone. and most fragile bones in the entire body.
➢ Assist in the formation of 3 cavities
1. Mouth
2. Nasal cavity
3. Orbit

1. Body INFERIOR NASAL CONCHAE

➢ Centrally located portion that lies lateral to ➢ Also called inferior turbinate bone.
the nose. ➢ Thin curved or scroll shaped facial bone.
➢ Contains the maxillary sinus. ➢ Projects from the lateral walls of the nasal
2. Anterior Nasal Spine cavity on each side and extend medially.
➢ Small pointed projection in the midline at the ➢ Visualized in the PA projection of the skull.
base of the nasal septum. ➢ Function is to divide the nasal cavities into
3. Frontal Process various departments to mix or break the flow
➢ Projects upward along the lateral border of the of air coming from the nasal cavities so that
nose toward the frontal bone. the air is somewhat warm and clean before it
4. Zygomatic Process reaches the lungs.
➢ Projects laterally to unite with the zygomatic
bone.
5. Alveolar Process
➢ Inferior or lower aspect of the body of each
maxilla.
➢ It form the sockets for the 8 upper teeth.
6. Palatine Process
➢ Form the anterior roof of the mouth called the
hard or bony palate.
➢ Separates the nasal cavities from the mouth.
➢ Forms the anterior ¾ of the hard palate.
 NASAL BONE MANDIBLE
➢ Form the superior bony wall (nose bridge) ➢ Also called the lower jaw bone.
➢ Lies anterior and superior to the frontal ➢ The largest, densest and strongest facial bone.
process of the maxilla and just inferior to ➢ Together with the temporomandibular fossa, it
the frontal bone. is the the only movable joint in the skull
➢ Articulates with 2 cranial bones the frontal (temporomandibular joint).
and ethmoid and with 2 facial bones;
maxilla and opposite nasal bone.
1. Nasion
➢ Point of junction of the two nasal bones.

1. Body
➢ Area anterior to the angle of the mandible.
➢ Forms from each lateral half and unites at the
midline (SYMPHYSIS MENTI).
PALATINE BONE ➢ Horseshoe-shaped
➢ L-shaped bone ➢ Has an upper border area called alveolar it
➢ Form the posterior ¼ of the roof of the mouth. contains 16 sockets for the roots of the teeth.
➢ Forms the posterior portion of the hard palate Lower border of the body is called the base.
1. Vertical Plate ➢ Horizontal portion of the mandible that forms
➢ Forms the dorsal part of the lateral wall of the the chin.
nasal cavity.
2. Horizontal Plate B. Ramus
➢ Extends medially from the inferior part of the ➢ Vertically extension of the body of the
vertical plate to meet the horizontal plate of mandible at each side.
the other palatine. Together they join the 1. Mandibular notch
palatine process of the maxilla to form the ➢ U shaped notch
posterior part of the hard palate. ➢ Separate the condylar process and the
coronoid process.
2. Coronoid process
➢ Anterior end of the notch.
➢ Crown-shaped portion of the ramus for muscle
attachment.
3. Condyloid process
➢ Posterior process of the ramus.
➢ Consists of 2 parts, the condyle or head and
the neck.
➢ Articulate with the mandibular fossae of the
temporal bones to form the
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
VOMER 4. Angle of the Mandible
➢ Vomer means plownshare ➢ Also called Gonion
➢ Thin triangular shaped bone that forms the ➢ Posterior point of the mandible where the
inferoposterior part of the nasal septum. ramus meets the body
5. Mental Foramina
➢ Paired openings on the body (lateral to the
midline)
➢ It transmit blood vessels and nerves to the
lower lip and skin of the chin
6. Alveolar Process 5. Asterion
➢ Superior margin of the mandible; contains ➢ Point posterior to the ear where the squamosal
sockets in which the teeth lie. and lambdoidal sutures meet.
7. Mandibular Foramina 6. Pterion
➢ Located on the medial surface of each ramus ➢ Thinnest part of the lateral wall of the skull.
➢ Passageway for the nerve involved in tooth ➢ Formed by the junction of the anterior and
sensation. inferior portion of parietal bone with the
greater wing sphenoid and temporal bone.

➢ Lambdoidal Suture
▪ Separates the 2 parietal bone from the
occipital bone.
▪ Shaped like an inverted letter V
➢ Squamosal Suture
▪ Formed by the junction of each parietal and
the temporal bone.
➢ Asterion
▪ Point posterior to the ear where the
squamosal and lambdoidal sutures meet.
HYOID BONE ➢ Pterion
➢ Small U shaped bone situated at the base of the ▪ Thinnest part of the lateral wall of the
tongue. skull.
➢ Located in the neck between the mandible and
larynx
➢ Supports the tongue and provide attachment
for some of its muscles.
➢ The only bone in the body that does not
articulate with any other bone.
➢ Commonly fractured bone during strangulation

The Joints of the Cranium

➢ Sutures
➢ Joints of the cranium belong in the class of
joints termed FIBROUS. Since they are
immovale they are called SYNARTHROIDAL
1. Coronal Suture
➢ Separates the frontal bone from the two
parietals.
2. Sagittal Suture
➢ Separates the two parietal bone
3. Lambdoidal Suture
➢ Separates the 2 parietal bone from the
occipital bone.
4. Squamosal Suture
➢ Formed by the junction of each parietal and
the temporal bone.
 SKULL MORPHOLOGY CRANIAL TOPOGRAPHY SURFACE
1. Mesocephalic LANDMARKS
➢ Average head
➢ Measures approximately 15 cm between the 1.) Midsagittal Plane or Median Plane (MSP)
parietal eminences and 19 cm from the frontal ▪ Symmetrically divides the body into left and
eminence to External Occipital Protuberance right halves.
and 23 cm from vertex to chin. 2.) Interpupillary Line or Interorbital Line (IPL)
➢ Temporal base or petrous pyramid forms an ▪ Connecting the pupils or outer canti of the
angle of 45° to 47° to the midsagittal plane eyes
(MSP) 3.) Supraorbital Groove (SOG)
▪ Slight depression above each eyebrow.
▪ Corresponds to the anterior fossa of the
cranial vault.
4.) Supraorbital Margin (SOM)
▪ Superior rim of each orbit.
5.) Supercilillary Arch
▪ Ridge of bone on each eyebrow.
6.) Glabella
2. Brachycephalic ▪ Smooth prominence between the eyebrow
➢ Short from front to back and above the bridge of the nose.
➢ Broad from side to side 7.) Nasion
➢ Shallow from vertex to base ▪ Depression at the nose bridge, junction of
➢ Petrous pyramid forms an angle greater than the 2 nasal bones and frontal bone.
47° (approximately 54º) to the MSP. 8.) Acanthion or Little Horn
➢ The width is 80% or greater than the length ▪ Junction of the upper lip and the nasal
septum.
▪ The point where the nose and lip meet.
9.) Pinna or Auricle
▪ Large flap of cartilage at the external
portion of the ear
10.) Tragus
▪ Small flap cartilaginous flap covering the
ear.
11.) Top of the Ear Attachment (TEA)
3. Dolicocephalic ▪ Superior attachment of the auricle
➢ Head is long from front to back ▪ Same level of petrous ridge
➢ Narrow from side to side 12.) Canthi/Canthus
➢ Deep from vertex to base. ▪ Junction of the upper and lower eyelids
➢ Petrous pyramid form an angle less than 47° 13.) Gonion/Angle of the Mandible
(approximately 40°) to the MSP ▪ The lower posterior angle on each side of
➢ The width is less than 75% of the length. the jaw or mandible
14.) Mental Point
▪ The midpoint of this triangular area of the
chin as it appears from the front.
 SKULL POSITIONING LINES
1.) Glabellomeatal Line (GML)
▪ Not precise as the other lines because
glabella is an area not a specific point.
▪ It is a line between the glabella and EAM
2.) Orbitomeatal Line (OML)
▪ Frequently used positioning line located
between outer canthus and the EAM.
▪ Also called the RADIOGRAPHIC BASE
LINE.
3.) Infraorbitomeatal Line (10ML)
▪ Reids base line
▪ Line of Frankfurt
▪ Anthropological base line
▪ Base line of the cranium
▪ It is a line which connects the infra-orbital
point to the EAM
4.) OML AND GML
▪ There is an approximate 8° average angle
difference between the OML and GML
5.) OML AND IOML
▪ There is an average difference of 7° exists
between the angles of the OML and IOML
6.) IOML AND AML
▪ There is an average difference of 15° exists
between the angles of the IOML and AML
7.) Acanthiomeatal Line (AML)
▪ It is a line between the acanthion and EAM
8.) Interpupillary Line (IPL)
▪ It joins the center of the two orbits or pupils
9.) Mentomeatal Line (MML)
▪ It is a line between the mental point
(mandible) and EAM.
10.) Lips to Meatal Line (LML)
▪ It is a line between the junctions of the lips
to the EAM.
11.) Glabelloalveolar Line
▪ Connects the glabella to a point at the
anterior aspect of the alveolar process of the
maxilla.
12.) Auricular Line
▪ It is perpendicular to the anthropological
base line and passes through the EAM