The skull Flashcards
Consists of 22 separate bones not including ossicles and extra sutral bones, 8 skull bones are paired and 6 are unpaired
Adult skull
Skull without mandible, fuses with sutral lines later in life
Cranium
Cranium without face
Calvaria
Calvaria without base
Calotte
Facial skeleton
Splanchocranium
Encompasses forehead and upper part of eye sockets
Frontal bone
Attachment point of the temporalis muscle in the frontal bone, stretches posteriorly
Temporal lines
Brow ridges in frontal bone
Superciliary arches
Sinus cavities in frontal bone, can be used to identify individuals. Middle inferior view
Frontal sinuses
Pair of bones (left and right) of your vault. Superior, frayed edges
Parietal bones
Accommodate the meningeal arteries of parietal bones. Inferior grooves
Meningeal grooves
Contains opening for ear canal, part of cheekbone, soft temples superior and anterior
Temporal bone
Thin, plate like projection of bone. Flat superior surface above zygomatic process in temporal bone
Squamous
External opening of ear canal in temporal bone
External auditory meatus
Thin projection of bone in temporal bone, forms posterior part of cheek bone
Zygomatic process
Thick projection of bone on antero-inferior surface of temporal bone. attaches to neck muscles, posterior to external auditory meatus
Mastoid process
Thin, pointed projection of temporal bone. Anchor point for the stylohyoid ligament. Inferior, posterior to external auditory meatus
Styloid process
Back of skull, massive hole at bottom
Occipital bone
Large hole in the occipital bone through which the brain stem passes
Foramen magnum
Large plate of bone in occipital bone that faces posteriorly, superior to foramen magnum
Squamous
Rugged surface on posterior surface of occipital bone
Nuchal crest
Oval surface on either side of foramen magnum, articulates with atlas. Occipital
Occipital condyle
Two, forms most of face and nasal aperture. Holds upper dentition
Maxillae
Two, left and right. Mouth and nasal cavity
Palatine bones
Vertical bone that runs down the nasal aperture, thin and blade like
Vomer
Left and right in nasal opening
Inferior nasal conchae
Partially eye orbit, back of nasal aperture
Ethmoid bone
Tear duct bones, compose part of eye orbit
Lacrimal
Left and right, make up bridge of nose
Nasals
Left and right, part of cheekbone and eye orbit
Zygomatics
Looks like a butterfly/ink blob, sits at center of skull. Visible inferiorly and laterally, anterior to temporal bone
Sphenoid
Point of union between occipital and sphenoid bones, potential age indicator. Gap in youth and obliterated in adulthood
Spheno-occipital synchondrosis
Only bone of head that doesn’t fuse, articulates. Makes up the lower jaw
Mandible
Thick bony part of mandible that anchors teeth, inferior
Body/ramus
Openings on lateral body of mandible, blood vessels pass through here and cause us to get flushed
Mental foramen
Anterior region of mandible between incisors, point of union between the halves. Fuse later in life
Mandibular symphysis
Chin in mandible, we are the only species to have this
Mental eminence
Smooth point of articulation with temporal bone
Mandibular condyles
Study of dentition. Teeth are more resistant to physical and chemical alteration. Most represented part of the body in forensic and archaeological contexts. Yield info about age, sex, health, diet, origin and evolutionary relationships of individuals
Odontology
Teeth that erupt and are shed during childhood
Deciduous teeth
Secondary adult teeth
Primary
Flat blade like teeth, two on each side of each jaw
Incisors
Sharp teeth, one per each side of each jaw
Canines
Two sharp cusps, two per each side of each jaw
Premolars
Bigger, three per each side of each jaw
Molars
Upper and lower dentition divided into right and left halves (R and L). Letter for type of tooth (I, C, P, M). Number superscript from center if upper, subscript from center if bottom
Numbering teeth
Toward the midline of the dental arch, anterior portion of molars and premolars and medial surfaces of incisors and canines (incisors ___ to molars)
Mesial
Opposite of Mesial, toward the back of the mouth (molars ___ from incisors)
Distal
Surface of teeth that face the tongue
Lingual
Surface of teeth toward the lips, used with incisors and canines
Labial
Surface of teeth towards the cheeks, used with premolars and molars
Buccal
Surface of tooth in contact with another tooth in the same jaw
Interproximal
Surface of tooth you chew on, meets up with teeth of other jaw
Occlusal
Hard brittle outer surface of tooth, 97% mineralized once formed
Enamel
Part of tooth covered by enamel
Crown
Calcified connective tissue, the living core of the tooth that protects the pulp cavity
Dentine
Expanded part of pulp cavity that houses pulp
Pulp chamber
Soft tissue filled with nerves and blood
Pulp
Constricted part of tooth where crown meets root
Neck
Occlusal projection of the crown. Molars have five, premolars have two
Cusp
Cleft on the occlusal surface between cusps
Fissure
Narrow end of the pulp cavity at the root end of tooth
Root canal
End of tooth, incisors and canines have one, premolars can have two, molars more
Apex