The Mandible Anatomy Quiz

The Mandible

• The mandible is the largest and strongest bone of the human skull.
• It's commonly known as the lower jaw.
• It's located inferior to the maxilla.
• It has a horseshoe-shaped body that holds the teeth.
• A pair of rami project upward to form the temporomandibular joint.

Mandible Body

• The body is curved, horseshoe-shaped.
• It has two borders:
  • Alveolar border (superior): contains 16 sockets for the lower teeth.
  • Base (inferior): site of attachment for the digastric muscle.

Mandible Body Features

• The body is marked by a small mandibular symphysis in the midline.
• This ridge represents the fusion of the two halves during development.
• The symphysis encloses a triangular eminence called the mental protuberance, which forms the chin shape.
• Lateral to the mental protuberance is the mental foramen (below the second premolar tooth).

Mandible Rami

• There are two mandibular rami.
• They project perpendicularly upward from the angle of the mandible.
• Each ramus has bony landmarks, including:
  • Condylar process:
    • The head is situated posteriorly, articulating with the temporal bone to form the temporomandibular joint.
  • Neck: supports the head of the ramus and is the attachment site of the lateral pterygoid muscle.
  • Coronoid process: attachment site for the temporalis muscle.

Foramina

• Foramina are openings for neurovascular structures.
• The mandible has two main foramina:
  • Mandibular foramen: located on the internal surface of the ramus, acting as a conduit for the inferior alveolar nerve and artery.
  • Mental foramen: positioned on the external surface, below the second premolar tooth. The inferior alveolar nerve and artery pass through the mandibular canal and exit at the mental foramen to become the mental nerve. The mental nerve innervates the skin of the lower lip and the front of the chin.

Muscles of Mastication

• There are four primary muscles of mastication:
  • Masseter
  • Temporalis
  • Medial pterygoid
  • Lateral pterygoid

Masticatory Muscle Actions

• These muscles attach to the mandible and enable chewing and grinding movements at the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
• Movements include:
  • Protrusion (protraction)
  • Retraction
  • Elevation
  • Depression
  • Rotation

Test your knowledge on the anatomy of the mandible, the largest and strongest bone of the human skull. This quiz covers its structure, features, and important landmarks such as the alveolar border, mental protuberance, and mandibular rami. Ideal for students studying human anatomy.