The Skull, TMJ and Cervical Spine

Question 1

What are the divisions of the skull?

Answer 1

Neurocranium - Case which encloses the brain.
Viscerocranium - Bones which surround the oral cavity, nasal cavity and most of the orbit

Question 2

Name these bones of the neurocranium

Answer 2

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Question 3

Name these bone of the viscerocranium

Answer 3

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Question 4

What attaches to the superior and inferior temporal lines?

Answer 4

Temporal fascia - superior and Temoralis muscle - inferior line.

Question 5

What is the pterion and its clinical significance?

Answer 5

Point of articulation where the frontal bone, Parietal, greater wing of sphenoid and temporal bone meet. It is an anatomical weak spot which overlies the middle meningeal artery. Damage to this area can therefore cause rupture of the artery

Question 6

Describe the surface anatomy of the pterion

Answer 6

It is located 4cm superiorly from the midpoint of zygomatic arch and 3cm posterior to frontal process of zygomatic bone.

Question 7

LAbel the important anatomical landmarks of the calvarium

Answer 7

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Question 8

What are the red labels?

Answer 8

Red star - Groove for sagittal sinus.
Red dots - Granular foveolae which is where arachnoid granulations are found. Function of which is to reabsorb CSF

Question 9

What are fontanelles?

Answer 9

A type of fibrous membrane between the flat bones of the skull in newborns. They allows for moulding of the cranial shape during birth and post-natal growth of brain. Should be fused by 18months

Question 10

What bones make up parts of the orbit?

Answer 10

Frontal, Lacrimal, ethmoid, maxilla, zygomatic, greater wing of sphenoid and palatine

Question 11

What passes through the superior orbital fissue?

Answer 11

• Lacrimal nerve,
• Frontal nerve,
• Trochlear nerve,
• Nasociliary nerve,
• Oculuomotor nerve,
• Abducens nerve,
• Superior opthalmic vein.

Question 12

What passes through the inferior orbital fissue?

Answer 12

• Zygomatic branch of maxillary nerve,
• Infraorbital nerve,
• Inferior ophthalmic vein,
• Sympathetic nerves

Question 13

What are some craniometric points and their significance?

Answer 13

• Bregma,
• Pterion,
• Inion,
• Asterion,
• Glabella,
• Nasion.
  They are important anatomical landmarks in radiology and surgery

Question 14

Label this diagram of the cranial base

Answer 14

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Question 15

What are the borders of the infratemporal fossa?

Answer 15

Laterally - Ramus of mandible,
Medially - Lateral pterygoid,
Anteriorly - Posterior aspect of maxilla,
Posteriorly - Tympanic plate, mastoid and styloid processes.
Superiorly - Infratemporal crest of sphenoid bone,
Inferiorly - Angle of the mandible

Question 16

What bones make up the boarders of the pterygopalatine fossa and what does the fossa connect with?

Answer 16

The palatine, maxilla and sphenoid bones. It creates connections with the orbit, nasal cavity, infratemporal fossa, middle cranial fossa and base of skull

Question 17

How do olfactory bulbs recieve info?

Answer 17

Via nerve fibres from the nasal cavity which travel through the foramina of the cribriform plate. The bulbs sit below the cribriform plate (separated by cristsa galli)

Question 18

What can occur with a cribriform plate fracture?

Answer 18

CSF rhinorrhoea - CSF leakage through nasal cavity

Question 19

Label the middle cranial fossa

Answer 19

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Question 20

Label the posterior cranial fossa

Answer 20

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Question 21

Where are the mandibular teeth located?

Answer 21

Within alveolar processes

Question 22

Describe features of the temporomandibular joint

Answer 22

It has a fibrocartilaginous joint which separates the joint into superior and inferior articular cavities. Intrinsically an unstable joint as the lateral ligament is the only one to provide stability

Question 23

Name the two extrinsic TMJ ligaments

Answer 23

Sphenomandibular and stylomandibular but they don’t contribute to stability of the joint.

Question 24

Describe the movements of the TMJ

Answer 24

Depression (mainly by gravity)
Elevation (temporalis, masseter and medial pterygoid),
Retraction (temporalis, masseter, geniohyoid and digastric),
- Protrusion (lateral pterygoid assisted by medial pterygoid)

Question 25

How do the atlas and axis articulate?

Answer 25

Via odontoid process articulating with anterior arch of C1. and the inferior articular processes of C1 articulating with the superior articular processes of C2

Question 26

What are the ligaments that support the atlanto-axial joint?

Answer 26

Apical ligament, alar ligament, transverse ligament of atlas, anterior (becomes atlanto-occipital membrane) and posterior (becomes tectorial membrane) longitudinal ligaments