Overview of Facial Bones and Structures

Oct 7, 2024

Lecture Notes: Facial Bones and Related Structures

Overview of Facial Bones

  • Total of 14 facial bones, many in pairs.
    • Mandible: Single jawbone.
    • Maxilla: Two fused in the center.
    • Zygomatic Bones: Two, located in green.
    • Palatine Bones: Two, form the hard palate.
    • Vomer: Single, at the back of the nose.
    • Lacrimal Bones: Two, on either side of the nose.
    • Nasal Bones: Two, near the lacrimal bones.
    • Inferior Nasal Conchae: Two, separate from the ethmoid bone.

Detailed Examination of the Mandible

  • Mandible:
    • Only movable skull bone.
    • Condylar Process: Looks like a shark fin, for muscle attachment.
    • Temporomandibular Joint: Formed with the temporal bone.
    • Mental Foramen: Openings for mental nerve and blood vessels.

Paranasal Sinuses

  • Function as resonating chambers, enhance voice, and keep nasal mucosa moist.
  • Located in:
    • Frontal Bone: Frontal sinus.
    • Maxilla: Maxillary sinus.
    • Ethmoid Bone: Contains sinuses.
    • Sphenoid Bone: Contains sinuses.

Maxilla Anatomy

  • Forms the upper jaw and upper teeth insertion.
  • Contributes to:
    • Lateral floor of the orbit.
    • Hard palate.
  • Alveolar Process: Holds roots of upper teeth.
  • Zygomatic Process: Part of the cheekbone structure.
  • Infraorbital Foramen: Passage for maxillary nerve.

Eye Orbit Composition

  • Composed of seven bones:
    • Frontal Bone: Upper portion.
    • Sphenoid Bone: Back.
    • Zygomatic Bone: Lateral and part of inferior side.
    • Maxilla: Inferior portion.
    • Palatine Bone: Extension at the back.
    • Ethmoid Bone: Contributes.
    • Lacrimal Bone: Contributes.
    • Nasal Bone: Contributes.

Nasal Septum Structure

  • Separates left and right nostrils.
  • Formed by:
    • Perpendicular Plate of Ethmoid Bone: Upper portion.
    • Vomer Bone: Bottom portion.
    • Cartilage extends into the nose.

Zygomatic Arch (Cheekbone)

  • Composed of three bones:
    • Zygomatic Process of Maxilla.
    • Zygomatic Bones.
    • Zygomatic Process of Temporal Bone (not visible easily).

Important Visuals

  • Good views available for the nasal septum and its components.