Skull Sutures Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Cranial Sutures

What serves as an attachment for muscles of mastication & facial expressions?

Which bone is the only movable bone of the skull?

What bone has processes named zygomatic process, frontal process, and alveolar process?

Which structure is associated with the infraorbital canal?

Which part of the mandible has a symphysis menti?

Which bone has a sigmoid notch/mandibular notch in its ramus?

Which bone forms the lower and back portion of the cranium?

What is the function of lacrimal bones?

Which bone extends horizontally along the lateral wall of the nasal cavity?

What is the function of zygomatic arch?

Which bone forms the lower wall and part of the floor of the cranial cavity?

What is pierced by the foramen magnum?

Which part of the skull houses the human brain?

Which bone forms the sides and roof of the cranium?

Which part of the skull can be seen in the lateral view?

Which part of the skull can be found at the junction between the two parietal bones and the occipital bone?

Which part of the skull protects delicate sense organs such as eyes and ears?

Which part of the skull is fibrous joint synarthrosis and includes sutures?

Skull Structure

The skull is divided into two parts: Neurocranium (calvaria/skull cap) and Viscerocranium (facial skeleton)
The skull is considered a fibrous joint (synarthrosis) and is composed of sutures

Bone Views

Anterior view: Norma frontalis (front)
Lateral view: Norma lateralis (side)
Posterior view: Norma occipitalis (back)
Inferior view: Norma basalis (base)
Superior view: Norma verticalis (top)

Fontanelles

Fontanelles are the spaces between the bones of an infant's skull where the sutures intersect
Function: protect the brain, support delicate sense organs
There are two fontanelles:
- Anterior fontanelle (soft spot): junction of the two frontal and two parietal bones
- Posterior fontanelle: junction of the two parietal bones and the occipital bone

Cavity Structure

Cranial cavity
Oral cavity
Nasal cavity
Buccal cavity
Middle and inner ear cavities
Paranasal sinuses

Bone Structure

Parietal bone: forms the roof and sides of the cranium, can be seen in the lateral view
Frontal bone: forms the anterior wall and 1/3 of the roof of the cranial cavity, floor of the anterior or cranial fossa, and roof of the orbit
Occipital bone: forms the lower and back portion of the cranium, pierced by the foramen magnum
Mandible: largest and strongest bone, serves as attachment for muscles of mastication and facial expressions, has a body and a ramus
Zygomatic bone: forms the floor of the orbit, walls of the nasal cavity, roof of the oral cavity, and maxillary sinus
Lacrimal bone: smallest and most fragile bone, forms the antero-medial wall of the orbital cavity
Nasal bone: extends horizontally along the lateral wall of the nasal cavity
Palatine bone: part of the hard palate, wall of the nasal cavity, and floor of the orbit
Vomer: thin bone, forms the inferior half of the nasal septum

Sutures

Allow the bones to move during the birth process
Designed to enlarge or adjust depending on the birth canal portion
Examples:
- Sagittal suture: between the parietal bones
- Coronal suture: between the frontal and parietal bones
- Lambdoid suture: between the occipital bone and parietal bones
- Squamous suture: between the parietal and squamous temporal bones

Test your knowledge on the different sutures of the skull such as sagittal, coronal, lambdoid, and squamous sutures. Understand the specific bones like the frontal bone and their roles in the cranial cavity and orbit.