BONES OF THE SKULL

Question 1

FRONTAL BONE

Answer 1

-Cranial bone that forms forehead, superior part of eye orbits & the floor of the anterior cranial fossa
-Eye orbit is the bony sockets that surround the eyeball
-The frontal sinuses are houses within the anterior portion of the frontal bone

Question 2

PARIETAL BONE

Answer 2

Bilateral bones form the superior (roof) and lateral portions of cranium
ƒ parietal means “wall”.

Question 3

TEMPORAL BONE

Answer 3

-Bilateral bones that help to form the lower side (inferolateral) portions
of the cranium.
-Several markings including that the external auditory meatus (canal), part of the zygomatic process, the styloid process, mastoid process jugular foramen, & the carotid canal

Question 4

OCCIPITAL BONE

Answer 4

Cranial bone the forms the back (posterior) and most of the base of the skull.
Important structures include the jugular foramen, occipital condyles and the external occipital protuberance

Question 5

SPHENOID BONE

Answer 5

Cranial bone that is bat-shaped or butterfly shaped bone.
The sphenoid bone articulates with all other cranial bones.
sphen means “wedge shaped”.
Sphenoid sinus is in this bone
Important structures include the Sella Turcica, Optic Foramen, and the carotid canal.

Question 6

ETHMOID BONE

Answer 6

-Cranial bone that forms part of the anterior cranial fossa, part of the nasal septum and the nasal cavity.
-The ethmoid bone also forms the medial wall of the eye orbit.
-Ethmoid sinus is located within this bone
-Important structures on the ethmoid bone include the crista galli, cribriform foramina, superior and middle nasal conchae

Question 7

SELLA TURCICA

Answer 7

means “Turkish saddle”
ƒ located on the superior surface of the sphenoid bone.
ƒ The “seat of the saddle” houses the pituitary gland.

Question 8

CRISTA GALLI

Answer 8

-Means “rooster’s comb” and is a short finger like projection.
-Projects superior from midline of ethmoid bone
Attaches to the dura mater (outer most layer of the connective tissue surrounding the brain) and helps secure the brain within the skull.

Question 9

CRIBIFORM PLATE

Answer 9

Plates on either side of the base of crista galli.
Contains olfactory foramina for olfactory nerves to pass through

Question 10

CAROTID CANAL

Answer 10

Opening through which the internal carotid artery passes into the cranial cavity.
ƒ

Question 11

OPTIC FORAMEN/CANALS

Answer 11

Openings at the base of the lesser wings of the sphenoid bone and is anterior to sella turcica.
Optic nerve (cranial nerve II) passes through here.

Question 12

FORAMEN MAGNUM

Answer 12

-means “large hole”
-Located at the base of the occipital bone allows for the spinal cord to pass through.

Question 13

JUGULAR FORAMEN

Answer 13

This is a large opening near the foramen magnum and is located on the dense part of the temporal bone.
ƒ-The jugular vein and three cranial nerves pass through this opening.

Question 14

OCCIPITAL CONDYLES

Answer 14

Condyles are rounded surfaces in a joint.
ƒ The occipital condyles are bilateral to the foramen magnum.
ƒ Articulate with the atlas as in nodding head to indicate “yes”

Question 15

STYLOID PROCESS

Answer 15

Needle like projection on the temporal bone
ƒ Provides attachment for several neck and tongue muscles

Question 16

MASTOID PROCESS

Answer 16

Located behind the ear
ƒ Is the insertion point for the sternocleidomastoid muscle, along with
other neck muscles

Question 17

EXTERNAL OCCIPITAL PROTURBANCE

Answer 17

bump at back of occipital bone

Question 18

CORONAL SUTURE

Answer 18

coronal means “crown”. This suture is between frontal and parietal
bones

Question 19

SAGITTAL SUTURE

Answer 19

sagittal means “arrow”. This suture is between the parietal bones

Question 20

LAMBDOID SUTURE

Answer 20

oid” means “shaped like”. This suture is named the lambdoid because
it looks like the Greek letter lambda which looks like this: ʄ
ƒ It is located between the occipital and parietal bones

Question 21

MAXILLA

Answer 21

Facial bones that articulates with all other facial bones (except the
mandible)
ƒ Holds upper teeth and forms parts of the palate, nasal cavity, and floor
of the eye sockets
ƒ Houses the largest sinus – the maxillary sinus
ƒ Forms anterior of hard palate
ƒ Also referred to as the maxillary bones

Question 22

LACRIMAL BONES

Answer 22

Forms a portion of the medial eye orbit
ƒ Lacrimal refers to tear
ƒ Lacrimal sac is housed within the lacrimal fossa

Question 23

ZYGOMATIC BONES

Answer 23

Form high part of cheek and the lateral part of floor of eye orbit
ƒ Commonly referred to as the cheek bone
ƒ Important structures include the zygomatic arch consists of processes
from temporal and zygomatic bones

Question 24

PALATINE BONES

Answer 24

POSTERIOR OF HARD PALATE

Question 25

NASAL CONCHAE

Answer 25

-Ridged bones in nasal cavity create turbulence
-Covered with mucoperiosteum of pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium
-Drainage openings for the sinuses are located in this area
-Superior and middle nasal conchae are part of the ethmoid bone
-Superior nasal conchae are too high to be seen looking into the nasal cavity

Question 26

VOMER

Answer 26

Thin, blade shaped bone that forms the inferior portion of the nasal
septum. Posterior to the palatine bones

Question 27

MANDIBLE

Answer 27

Movable portion of the jaw. The largest bone in the human skull
ƒ Holds the lower teeth in place
ƒ Composed of the body and the ramus and is commonly referred to as
the jawbone
ƒ Important structures include the mental protuberance (chin), mental
foramen, coronoid and condylar processes

Question 28

NASOLACRIMAL CANAL

Answer 28

ears drain through this canal from the lacrimal sac into nasal cavity
ƒ located between the lacrimal and maxillary bones.
ƒ Commonly referred to as the tear duct

Question 29

hyoid bone

Answer 29

isolated bone and does not articulate with any other bone.
attachment for muscles that form neck

Question 30

bones making up sinuses

Answer 30

frontal bone
maxillary
ethmoidal
sphenoidal

Question 31

bones that form eye

Answer 31

zygomatic
ethmoid
spheniod
lacrimal
maxilla
frontal