Anatomy

of the Skull

Contents
Skull
Cranial bones
Facial bones

Sex differentiation of skull

Surface marking
Special features of the skull
Sutures
Paranasal sinuses
Fontanels

Clinical cases

The Skull
22 bones joined together by sutures
Cranial bones surround cranial cavity
8 bones in contact with meninges
frontal (1), occipital (1), ethmoid (1), sphenoid (1), parietal (2),
temporal (2)

calvaria (skullcap) forms roof & walls

Facial bones support teeth & form nasal cavity &

orbit
14 bones with no direct contact with brain or meninges
zygomatic (2), maxilla (2), nasal (2), lacrimal (2), palatine
(2), vomer (1), mandible (1), inferior nasal concha (2)
attachment of facial & jaw muscles

Bones Associated With the Skull

Auditory ossicles
malleus
incus
stapes

Hyoid bone
suspended from styloid
process of skull by
stylohyoid muscle and
ligament
greater & lesser
cornua

Anatomical position of the skull

OrbitoMeatal Plane = Frankfurt
Horizontal Plane

Inferior
margin of
left orbitale

Upper margin
of
auditory
meatus

Mandible

Inferior View of The Cranial

Base

Orbit

Nasal septum

Sphenoid bone

Male VS Female
CHARACTERI MALE
STIC
Weight
Heavier
Sizes
Larger than that
in females.
The thickness
of the bone
Forehead

Thicker
In males the
forehead is
slightly sloping or
receding.

FEMALE
Lighter
Smaller
compared to
that in males
Thinner
The forehead is
vertical.

CHARACTERI MALE
STIC

FEMALE

Vault

The vault of the skull is

more rounded.

The vault is
flattened than that
in females.

Contour of
the face

The overall length of the

skull is longer and the chin
is bigger and projects
more forwards, the skull is
rugged due to its muscular
makeup, and the
zygomatic bones are also
more massive.

The skull is
Rounded, with the
facial bones being
more smoother,
with both the jaws
mandible and the
maxilla being
smaller.

Supraorbital
margin

More rounded

Sharp

Frontal bone
and forehead

Brow Ridges are well

demarcated

Smooth more
vertical Frontal bone

Mastoid

Large

Small

Surface markings
Fissure
Narrow slit between adjacent parts of
bones through which blood vessels or
nerves pass.

Foramen
Opening through which blood vessels,
nerves or ligaments pass

Fossa
Shallow depression

Cranial Fossa

3 basins that comprise the cranial floor or

base
anterior fossa holds the frontal lobe of the brain
middle fossa holds the temporal lobes of the
brain

 Sulcus
Furrow along a bone surface that
accommodates a blood vessel, nerve or
tendon

Meatus
Tubelike opening

Foramina of the skull

Foramen

Location

Carotid

Petrous portion of temporal bone

Hypoglossal

Superior to base of occipital condyles

Infraorbital

Inferior to orbit in maxilla

Jugular

Posterior to carotid canal between petrous

portion of temporal bone and occipital bone

Lacerum

Bounded anteriorly by sphenoid bone,

posteriorly by petrous portion of temporal
bone, and medially by sphenoid and occipital
bones

Magnum

Occipital bone

Mandibular

Medial surface of ramus of mandible

Mastoid

Posterior border of mastoid process of

temporal bone

Foramina of the skull

Foramen

Location

Mental

Inferior to second premolar tooth in mandible

Olfactory

Cribriform plate of ethmoid bone

Optic

Between superior and inferior portions of

small wing of sphenoid bone

Ovale

Greater wing of sphenoid bone

Rotundum

Junction of anterior and medial parts of

sphenoid bone

Stylomastoid

Between styloid and mastoid processes of

temporal bone

Supraorbital

Supraorbital margin of orbit in frontal bone

Special features of the skull

Sutures
Paranasal sinuses
Fontanels

Sutures
Immovable joint that holds most skull
bones together
Coronal
Sagittal
Lambdoid
Squamous

Superior View of The

Skull

Paranasal sinuses
Cavities in certain cranial and facial
bones near the nasal cavity
Function
Producing mucous
Serve as resonating chambers for sound as
we speak or sing

Paranasal sinuses

Fontanels
mesenchyme-filled spaces, at birth.
Eventually they will be replaced with
bone to become sutures.
Many fontanels but 6 are fairly
constant:
Anterior fontanel (closes 18-24 months
after birth)
Posterior fontanel (closes 2 months after
birth)
Anterolateral fontanels (closes 3 months
after birth)
Posterolateral fontanels (closes 1-2 months

Fontanels

BREGMA
LAMBDA
PTERION
ASTERIO
N

Anterior fontanel
During infancy, known as the babys soft spot
Allows cranial compression during the delivery process

Enables the physician to:

Determine the progress of growth of the frontal and
parietal bones
Determine the degree of hydration of the infant
(depressed fontanelle
dehydration)
Determine the level of intracranial pressure
(bulging fontanelle
increased pressure of the brain)
Use it as a site for infusing fluids
Use it as a site for withdrawal of blood samples from the
underlying venous sinuses (a large vein on the midline
surface of the brain)

Related clinical cases

Black eye
A blow to the superior of supraorbital
margin often fracture the bone or lacerates
the skin over it resulting in bleeding.
Bruising of the skin over the ridge causes
tissue fluid and blood accumulated in the
surrounding connective tissue.
The resulting swelling and discoloration is
called black eye.

 Cleft palate and cleft lip

Usually the palatine processes of the
maxillary bones unite during weeks 10-12
of embryonic development. Failure to do so
can result in cleft palate.
The condition may also involve incomplete
fusion of the horizontal plates of the
palatine bones.
Another condition involves a split in the
upper lip is called cleft lip.

 TMJ Syndrome
Characterized by dull pain around the ear,
tenderness of jaw muscles, a clicking or
popping noise when opening or closing the
mouth, limited or abnormal opening of the
mouth, headache, tooth sensitivity, and
abnormal wearing of the teeth.
Caused by improperly aligned teeth,
grinding or clenching the teeth, trauma to
the head and neck or arthritis.

 Deviated Nasal Septum

Usually occurs at the junction of the vomer
with the septal cartilage
Septal deviation may occur due to a
developmental abnormality or trauma.
If the deviation is severe, it may block the
nasal passageway entirely
Partial block will cause infection.
If inflammation occur, it may cause nasal
congestion, blockage, of paranasal
openings, chronic sinusitis, headache and
nosebleed.

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