Overview of Frontal, Parietal, and Occipital Bones

Frontal Bone

• Location: Forms the front part of the skull and the upper portion of the eye sockets.
• Key Bone Markings:
  • Supraorbital Foramen/Notch: Indentation above the eye socket; not clearly visible in individual bones but identifiable in composite skull models.
  • Frontal Sinuses: Located behind the frontal bone; not visible in bone models but generally named for their location as frontal sinuses.

Parietal Bone

• Number: There are two parietal bones.
• Location: Found on the sides and roof of the skull.
• Bone Markings: No specific bone markings need to be identified for the parietal bones.

Occipital Bone

• Key Features:
  • Foramen Magnum: The large hole located at the base of the skull for the passage of the spinal cord.
  • Occipital Condyles: Rounded protrusions on either side of the foramen magnum, articulating with the first cervical vertebra.
  • Hypoglossal Canal: A smaller canal located near the occipital condyles; visible from the interior side of the skull and can be identified with a probe going through it.

Note

• In a lab exam, bone markings such as the hypoglossal canal and foramen magnum can be identified on an individual occipital bone or within a complete skull.

Next Steps

• The lecture will continue with discussions on the temporal bone and skull sutures in the following session.