Viscerocranium Quiz & Flashcards: Master the Facial Skeleton

Study Notes

Facial Skeleton Anatomy

The facial skeleton, or viscerocranium, is made up of 14 bones that protect the brain, house sensory organs, and provide a framework for facial expressions, eating, breathing, and speech.
Nasal Bones are slender, oblong bones forming the bridge of the nose. They vary in size, articulate with the frontal, maxilla, ethmoid, and the other nasal bone.
Inferior Nasal Concha are located within the nasal cavity, increasing surface area for inspired air contact with cavity walls. They articulate with the ethmoid, maxilla, and lacrimal bones.
The Vomer Bone is a thin, singular bone running vertically within the nasal cavity. It separates the nasal cavities and articulates with the maxilla, ethmoid, sphenoid bones, and palatine bone.
Lacrimal Bones, the smallest bones of the face, form part of the medial wall of the orbit and support the eye. They're part of the tear duct, where tears drain from the eye. They articulate with the frontal, ethmoid, maxilla, and inferior nasal concha.
Maxilla Bones form the upper jaw, housing teeth, sides of the nasal cavity, and sections of the eye socket. They articulate with the zygomatic, frontal, and palatine bones.
Zygomatic Bones, the cheek bones, are diamond-shaped and important for mastication, providing an attachment point for the masseter muscle. They articulate with the sphenoid, maxilla, frontal, and temporal bones.
The Mandible Bone forms the lower jaw, housing the lower teeth. It is the largest bone in the human skull and consists of a body and ramus. It articulates with the temporal bone at the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Palatine Bones are located at the back of the nasal cavity. They contribute to the nasal cavity, eye socket, and hard palate. They articulate with the sphenoid, ethmoid, maxilla, inferior nasal concha, vomer, and the opposite palatine bone.
The palatine bones have two important foramina that transmit nerves and blood vessels: the greater and lesser palatine.