Skull Structures

Ahmed Ridha Hamza

Ahl Al Bayt University

College Of Dentistry
Medical Termenology
1st Stage

7/19/2020
Introduction

The skull (also known as cranium) consists of 22 bones which can be

subdivided into 8 cranial bones and 14 facial bones.

The main function of the bones of the skull along with the surrounded
meninges, is to provide protection and structure. Protection to the brain
(cerebellum, cerebrum, brainstem) and orbits of the eyes. Structurally it
provides an anchor for tendinous and muscular attachments of the muscles of
the scalp and face. The skull also protects various nerves and vessels that feed
and innervate the brain, facial muscles, and skin.
Skull Structures

The Cranium

The cranium the part of the skull that encloses the brain is sometimes called the
braincase, but its intimate relation to the sense organs for sight, sound, smell,
and taste and to other structures makes such a designation somewhat
misleading.
(also known as the neurocranium), meninges and cerebral vasculature.
Anatomically, the cranium can be subdivided into a roof (known as the
calvarium), and a base:
Calvarium: Comprised of the frontal, occipital and two parietal bones.
Cranial (crani-al) base: Comprised of six bones – the frontal(front-al)
, sphenoid(sphen-oid), ethmoid(ethm-oid) , occipital(occipit-al), parietal
(pariet-al) and temporal(temp-o-ral) bones. These bones are important as they
provide an articulation point for the 1st cervical vertebra (atlas), as well as the
facial (faci-o-l) bones and the mandible (jaw bone).

Development of cranial (Crani-o-al) bones

The cranium is formed of bones of two different types of developmental

origin—the cartilaginous, or substitution, bones, which
replace cartilages preformed in the general shape of the bone; and membrane
bones, which are laid down within layers of connective tissue. For the most part,
the substitution bones form the floor of the cranium, while membrane bones
form the sides and roof.
The range in the capacity of the cranial (Crani-o-al) cavity is wide but is not
directly proportional to the size of the skull, because there are variations also in
the thickness of the bones and in the size of the air pockets, or sinuses. The
cranial cavity has a rough, uneven floor, but its landmarks and details of
structure generally are consistent from one skull to another.
The cranium (Crani-o-al) forms all the upper portion of the skull, with the
bones of the face situated beneath its forward part. It consists of a relatively few
large bones, the frontal (front-al) bone, the sphenoid (sphen-oid) bone, two
temporal (temp-o-ral) bones, two parietal (pariet-al) bones, and the occipital
(occipit-al)bone. The frontal bone underlies the forehead region and extends
back to the coronal suture, an arching line that separates the frontal bone from
the two parietal bones, on the sides of the cranium. In front, the frontal bone
forms a joint with the two small bones of the bridge of the nose and with the
zygomatic (zyg-o-matic) bone (which forms part of the cheekbone; see below
The facial (faci-o-l) bones and their complex functions), the sphenoid, and the
maxillary (maxill-ary) bones. Between the nasal (nas-o-l) and zygomatic
bones, the horizontal portion of the frontal bone extends back to form a part of
the roof of the eye socket, or orbit; it thus serves an important protective
function for the eye and its accessory structures.

Each parietal bone has a generally four-sided outline. Together they form a
large portion of the side walls of the cranium. Each adjoins the frontal, the
sphenoid, the temporal, and the occipital bones and its fellow of the opposite
side. They are almost exclusively cranial bones, having less relation to other
structures than the other bones that help to form the cranium(crani-o-m) .

Interior of the cranium

The interior of the cranium shows a multitude of details, reflecting the shapes of
the softer structures that are in contact with the bones.

The internal (inter-al) surface of the vault is relatively uncomplicated. In the

midline front to back, along the sagittal suture, the seam between the two
parietal bones, is a shallow depression the groove for the superior longitudinal
venous sinus, a large channel for venous blood. A number of depressions on
either side of it mark the sites of the pacchionian bodies, structures that permit
the venous system to absorb cerebrospinal fluid. The large thin-walled venous
sinuses all lie within the cranial cavity. While they are thus protected by the
cranium, in many places they are so close beneath the bones that a fracture or a
penetrating wound may tear the sinus wall and lead to bleeding. The blood
frequently is trapped beneath the outermost and toughest brain covering, the
dura mater, in a mass called a subdural hematoma. Conspicuous markings on
the internal surface of the projection of the sphenoid, called the greater wing,
and on the internal surfaces of the parietal and temporal bones are formed by the
middle meningeal artery and its branches, which supply blood to the brain
coverings. Injury to these vessels may lead to extradural hematoma, a mass of
blood between the dura mater and the bone.

The facial (faci-o-al) bones and their complex functions

The upper jaws ,The larger part of the skeleton of the face is formed by the
maxillae. Though they are called the upper jaws, the extent and functions of the
maxillae include much more than serving as complements to the lower jaw, or
mandible. They form the middle and lower portion of the eye socket. They have
the opening for the nose between them, beneath the lower borders of the small
nasal (nas-o-l) bones. A sharp projection, the anterior nasal spine, is formed by
them at the centre of the lower margin of the opening for the nose, the nasal
aperture.
The infra orbital foramen, an opening into the floor of the eye socket, is the
forward end of a canal through which passes the infraorbital branch of the
maxillary nerve, the second division of the fifth cranial (crani-l) nerve. It lies
slightly below the lower margin of the socket.
The alveolar margin, containing the alveoli, or sockets, in which all the upper
teeth are set, forms the lower part of each maxilla (maxill-o) , while a lateral
projection from each forms the zygomatic process, forming a joint with the
zygomatic, or malar, bone (cheekbone).

The Facial (faci-o-l) Bones:

Zygomatic 2 ( Zyg-o-matic ) Forms the cheek bones of the face, and

articulates with the frontal, sphenoid, temporal and maxilla bones.

Lacrimal 2 ( Lacrim-o-l) The smallest bones of the face. They form part of the
medial wall of the orbit.

Nasal 2 ( Nas-o-l ) Two slender bones, located at the bridge of the nose.
Inferior (infra-or) nasal conchae Located within the nasal cavity, these bones
increase the surface area of the nasal cavity, thus increasing the amount of
inspired air that can come into contact with the cavity walls.
Palatine 2 (palat-ine) Situated at the rear of oral cavity, and forms part of the
hard palate.
Maxilla 2 (maxill-o) Comprises part of the upper jaw and hard palate.
Vomer Forms the posterior aspect of the nasal septum.
Mandible (mandibul-o-) Articulates with the base of the cranium at
the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

Sutures of the Skull

Sutures are a type of fibrous joint that are unique to the skull. They are
immovable, and fuse completely around the age of 20.
Sutures are of clinical importance, as they can be points of potential weakness
in both childhood and adulthood. The main sutures in adulthood are:

Coronal (coron-o) suture which fuses the frontal bone with the two parietal
bones.
Sagittal (sagitt-al) suture which fuses both parietal bones to each other.
Lambdoid (lambda-oid) suture which fuses the occipital bone to the two
parietal bones.

In neonates, the incompletely fused suture joints give rise to membranous gaps
between the bones, known as fontanelles. The two major fontanelles are the
frontal fontanelle (located at the junction of the coronal and sagittal sutures) and
the occipital (occipit-al) fontanelle (located at the junction of the sagittal and
lambdoid sutures).
References:
Dictionary.com
Niftyword.com
Merriam-Webster.com
Learnthat.com
Betterendings.org
Etymonline.com
Takerx.com
Britannica.com

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