The Skull Flashcards
How many bones is the skull made up of?
22 (some paired, some unpaired)
What are most of the bones of the skull connected by? What is the 1 exception to this?
- Fibrous sutures (i.e. joint that is non moveable)
- 1 exception: temporomandibular joints (one found on either side i.e. paired) –> these are synovial
What 2 groups can the bones of the skull be considered as?
- Those of the cranium
- Those of the face
What is the cranium?
- Formed by the superior aspect of the skull
- It encloses and protects the brain, meninges, and cerebral vasculature
Anatomically, what can the cranium be divided into?
A roof and a base
What is the cranial roof comprised of?
frontal, occipital and two parietal bones

What is this bone? Is it paired or unpaired?

Frontal bone - unpaired
What underlies the frontal bone?
The frontal lobe of the brain
How does the frontal bone contribute to the orbital cavity?
Forms the roof

What bone is this? Is it paired or unpaired?

Parietal bone - paired (one on each side with a suture in between them)
What suture fuses the 2 parietal bones to each other?
The sagittal suture

What is the name of this suture?

Coronal suture
What does the coronal suture fuse?
Fuses the frontal bone with the two parietal bones

What is this bone? Is it paired or unpaired?

Zygomatic bone (or cheek bone) - paired
How does the zygomatic bone contribute to the orbital cavity?
Forms the lateral wall

What is this bone? Is it paired or unpaired?

The maxilla - paired (suture in the middle)
How does the maxilla contribute to the orbital cavity?
Form floor

What else does the maxilla comprise?
Part of the upper jaw and hard palate

What is this bone? Is it paired or unpaired?

Lacrimal bone - paired
How does the lacrimal bone contribute to the orbital cavity?
Forms part of medial aspect

What is this bone found just posteriorly to the lacrimal bone? Is it paired or unpaired?

Ethmoid bone - unpaired

How does the ethmoid bone contribute to the orbital cavity?
Lateral walls of ethmoid form the medial walls of orbital cavity

How does the ethmoid bone contribute to the nasal cavity?
Forms the roof of the nasal cavity

What does the ethmoid bone articulate with inferiorly?
The vomer bone







































































































