ANATOMY OF

SKULL
INTRODUCTION
 Composed of several separate bones
united at immobile joints called
SUTURES
 Connective tissue between bones is called a

SUTURAL LIGAMENT
 Mandible is united by the mobile

Temporomandibular joint
BONES OF SKULL
 CRANIUM
 FACE

 The vault is the upper part of the cranium

 Base of skull is the lowest part of the skull

 Skull bones are made up of external and

internal tables of compact bone separated

by a layer of spongy bone called diploe
BONES OF CRANIUM
 Frontal bone 1
 Parietal bones 2
 Occipital bone 1
 Temporal bones 2

 Sphenoid bone 1
 Ethmoid bone 1
FACIAL BONES
 Zygomatic bones 2
 Maxillae 2
 Nasal bones 2
 Lacrimal bones 2
 Vomer 1
 Palatine bones 2
 Inferior conchae 2
 Mandible 1
ANTERIOR
VIEW OF
SKULL
FRONTAL BONE
 INFERIORLY: curves
downward to make the upper
margins of the orbits
 The superciliary arches and

supraorbital notch or
foramen can be seen on
either side
 MEDIALLY: articulates with

the frontal processes of the

maxillae and with the nasal
bones
 Laterally: articulates with the

zygomatic bone
ORBITAL MARGINS
 SUPERIORLY: by frontal
bone
 LATERALLY: by

zygomatic bone
 INFERIORLY: by maxilla

 MEDIALLY: by the

processes of maxilla and

frontal bone
NASAL BONES
 The two nasal bones form the bridge of the
nose
 Their lower borders with the maxilla make

the anterior nasal aperture

 The nasal cavity is divided into two by

the bony nasal septum which is largely

formed by VOMER
 The superior and middle conchae are

shelves of bone that project into the

nasal cavity from the ethmoid on each
side, the inferior conchae are separate
bones
MAXILLAE
 Forms the upper jaw
 Anterior part of the

hard palate
 Part of the lateral walls of

the nasal cavities

 Part of the floors of the

orbital cavities
 The two bones meet in

the midline at the

intermaxillary suture
and forms the lower
margin of nasal
aperture
MAXILLAE
 Below the orbit the maxilla is
perforated by the infraorbital
foramen
 The alveolar process projects
downward and together with the
fellow of the opposite side forms
the alveolar arch which carries
the upper teeth
 Within each maxilla is a
large pyramid shaped cavity
lined with mucous
membrane called maxillary
sinus that communicates
with the nasal cavity and
serves as a voice resonator
ZYGOMATIC BONE
 Forms the prominence of
cheek
 And part of the lateral wall
and floor of orbital cavity
 MEDIALLY: articulates with
maxilla
 LATERALLY: zygomatic
process of the temporal
bone to form zygomatic
arch
 Foramina: perforated by
two foramina for the
zygomaticofacial and
zygomaticotemporal nerves
MANDIBLE
 Or called lower jaw
 Consists of a horizontal body

 And two vertical rami

LATERAL VIEW OF
SKULL
FRONTAL BONE
 forms the anterior part of the side of the
skull
 Articulates with the parietal bone at the

CORONAL SUTURE
PARIETAL BONES
 Forms the sides and
 Roof of the cranium

 Articulate with each

other at the midline at

the SAGGITAL SUTURE
 Articulate with the

occipital bone at the

LAMBDOID SUTURE
 Articulate with the

temporal bone at
SQUAMOUS SUTURE
SIDE OF SKULL
 By squamous part of
occipital bone
 Parts of temporal bone

namely
 Squamous

 Tympanic

 Mastoid process

 Styloid process

 Zygomatic process of

temporal bone
 Greater wing of sphenoid

bone
 Sternocleidomastoid myo originates from
manubrium of sternum and inserts to
mastoid process.
 The stylohyoid muscle originates from the

base of the styloid

process. Insertion: Inserts into the lateral
aspect of the hyoid bone. Function: The
stylohyoid muscle elevates and retracts
hyoid bone.Initiates a swallowing action by
pulling the hyoid bone in a posterior and
superior direction
INFERIOR OF SKULL
 Position of external auditory meatus
 Ramus of mandible

 Body of mandible
PTERION
 Thinnest part of the lateral wall of the
skull
 Anterioinferior corners of parietal bone

articulates with the greater wing of sphenoid

 CLINICAL IMP:overlies the anterior division

of the MIDDLE MENINGEAL ARTERY and

VEIN
TEMPORAL LINES
 2 lines
 Superior and inferior

 Begin as a single line from the posterior

margin of the zygomatic process of frontal

bone
 Diverge as they arch backward

 TEMPORAL FOSSA lies below the inferior

temporal line
INFERIOR ORBITAL FISSURE
 A horizontal fissure
 Between greater wing of sphenoid bone and

maxilla
 Leads forward into orbit
POSTERIOR VIEW OF
SKULL
ABOVE
 Posterior parts of two parietal bones with the
sagittal suture
BELOW
 Parietal bones articulate with squamous
part of occipital bone at the lambdoid suture
 This means when a bone has to articulate

with other , it articulates with squamous part

of it.
 SIDES: on each side occipital bone

articulates with temporal bone

EXTERNAL OCCIPITAL
PROTUBERANCE
 A rough elevation in the midline of occipital
bone
 Gives attachment to the muscles and

ligamentum nuchae
 SUPERIOR NUCHAL LINES: on either side

of protuberance they extend laterally

towards the temporal bones
SUPERIOR VIEW
OF
SKULL
ANTERIORLY
 Frontal bone articulates with the two parietal
bones at the CORONAL SUTURE
 Occasionally two halves of the frontal

bone fail to fuse leaving a midline

METOPIC SUTURE
BASE OF
SKULL
NORMA BASALIS
 The Norma basalis aka base of skull is
divided into
 Anterior part

 Middle part

 Posterior part

 The ANTERIOR PART is formed by the hard

palate and the alveolar arches

 The MIDDLE and POSTERIOR parts are

separated by an imaginary transverse

line passing through the anterior
margin of the foramen magnum
ANTERIOR PART
 ALVEOLAR ARCH: bears sockets for the
roots of the upper teeth
HARD PALATE
 FORMATION: A. anterior two-thirds by
the palatine processes of maxillae
 B. posterior one-third by the horizontal

plates of the palatine bones

 SUTURES: the palate is crossed by a

cruciform suture made up of intermaxillary,

interpalatine and palatomaxillary sutures
 DOME: it is arched in all directions and

show pits for the palatine glands

 INCISIVE FOSSA: is a deep fossa

situated anteriorly in the median plane

HARD PALATE(CONT.)
 INCISIVE CANALS: two in number
right and left, pierce the walls of the
incisive fossa usually one on each
side the left being anterior and
the right being posterior
 GREATER PALATINE FORAMEN:
one on each side is situated just
behind the lateral part of the
palatomaxillary suture. A groove
leads from the foramen towards the
incisive fossa
 LESSER PALATINE FORAMINA:
two or three in number on each side,
lie behind the greater palatine
foramen
HARD PALATE(CONT.)
 POSTERIOR BORDER: is
free and presents the
posterior nasal spine in the
median plane
 PALATINE CREST: is a

curved ridge near the

posterior border. It begins
behind the greater palatine
foramen and runs medially
MIDDLE PART
 The middle part
extends from the
posterior part of the
hard palate to the
arbitrary transverse
line passing through
the anterior margin of
the foramen magnum
 Middle part is divided

into:
 Median area

 Lateral area
MEDAIN AREA
 The median area
shows:
 Posterior border of

Vomer
 A broad bar of bone

formed fusion of the

posterior part of the
body of the sphenoid
and the basilar part
of occipital bone
 The Vomer separates

the two posterior

nasal apertures
LATERAL AREA
 The lateral area
shows
 Two parts of the

sphenoid bone –
pterygoid process
and greater wing
 Three parts of

temporal bone –
 petrous temporal,

tympanic plate and

squamous temporal
PTERYGOID PROCESS
 It projects downwards from the
junction from the greater wing
and the body of sphenoid behind
the third molar tooth
 INFERIORLY: it divides into the
medial and lateral pterygoid
plates
 ANTERIORLY: They are fused
together. The fused border of two
plates articulate medially with the
perpendicular plate of palatine
bone and are separated laterally
from the posterior surface of the
body of maxilla by the pterygo-
maxillary fissure
 POSTERIORLY: They are
separated by the V-shaped
pterygoid fossa
POSTEROMEDIAL MARGIN
 The surface is pierced with the
following foramina
 A. FORAMEN OVALE: large and
oval. situated posterolateral to
the upper end of the posterior
border of the lateral pterygoid
plate (mandibular nerve,
accessory meningeal a&v)
 B. FORAMEN LACERUM: Medial
to foramen ovale. (ascending
pharangeal artery)
 C.FORAMEN SPINOSUM: small
and circular. Situated
posterolateral to the foramen
ovale. (middle meningeal a&v)
INFERIOR SURFACE OF THE PETROUS
PART OF TEMPORAL BONE
 Is triangular in shape
 Apex is directed forwards

and medially
 Its apex is perforated by

the upper end of the

carotid canal.
 it is separated from

sphenoid by the
foramen lacerum
TYMPANIC PART OF TEMPORAL
BONE
 Also called as tympanic
plate
 Triangular curved plate

 Lies in the angle

between the petrous

and squamous parts
SQUAMOUS PART OF TEMPORAL
BONE
It forms:
 A. anterior part of the

mandibular articular
fossa which articulates
with the head of
mandible to form the
TMJ
 A small posterolateral

part of the roof of the

infratemporal fossa
POSTERIOR PART
Posterior part is divided into :
 Median area

 Lateral area
MEDIAN AREA
median area shows
from before
backwards
 Foramen magnum

 External occipital

crest
 External occipital

protuberance
FORAMEN MAGNUM

 Is the largest foramen

of skull
 Oval in shape being

wider behind than in

front
 UPWARDS: opens into

the posterior cranial

fossa
 DOWNWARDS: into

the vertebral canal

 It is overlapped on each

side by the occipital

condyles
EXTERNAL OCCIPITAL CREST
 ANTERIORLY: begins at
the posterior margin of
foramen magnum
 POSTERIORLY: it ends

posteriorly and above

at the external occipital
protuberance
EXTERNAL OCCIPITAL
PROTUBERANCE
 It is a projection
 Located at the posterior
end of the crest
 SUPERIOR NUCHAL
LINES: begins at the
external occipital
protuberance
 INFERIOR NUCHAL
LINES: located at the
middle of the crest
 Both of them curve
laterally and backwards
and the laterally and
forwards
LATERAL AREA
Lateral area shows
 Condylar part of

occipital bone
 Squamous part of

occipital bone
 Jugular foramen

between occipital
and petrous
temporal bone
 The styloid process of

the temporal bone

 Mastoid part of the

temporal bone
CONDYLAR PART OF OCCIPITAL
BONE
It presents:
 OCCIPITAL

CONDYLES: are oval

in shape and are
situated on each side
of the anterior part of
the foramen magnum
 HYPOGLOSSAL

CANAL:
anterosuperior to the
occipital condyles
JUGULAR FORAMEN
 Is large and elongated
 It is placed at the

posterior end of the

petro-occipital
suture
 JUGULAR FOSSA: at

posterior end of the

foramen
 it lodges the

superior bulb of the

internal jugular vein
STYLOID PROCESS
 STYLOMASTOID
FORAMEN: is
situated posterior to
the root of styloid
process
 MASTOID PROCESS:

is a large conical
projection located
posterolateral to the
stylomastoid foramen
INTERNAL SURFACE
OF THE BASE OF
THE

SKULL
CRANIAL CAVITY
 The interior of the base of the skull presents
natural subdivisions into the:
 ANTERIOR CRANIAL FOSSA

 MIDDLE CRANIAL FOSSA

 POSTERIOCRANIAL FOSSA
ANTERIOR CRANIAL FOSSA
BOUNDARIES:
 ANTERIORLY AND ON
SIDES: by the frontal
bone
 POSTERIORLY: it is

separated from the

middle cranial fossa by
the free posterior border
of the lesser wing of
sphenoid, the anterior
clinoid process
FLOOR
 IN MEDIAN PLANE: it is
formed anteriorly by the
cribriform plate of the
ethmoid bone and
posteriorly by the superior
surface of the anterior part
of the body of the sphenoid
 ON SIDES: the floor is

formed mostly by the

orbital plate of the frontal
bone, and is completed
posteriorly by the lesser
wing of sphenoid
CRIBRIFORM PLATE OF ETHMOID
 It separates the anterior cranial fossa
from the nasal cavity
 It is quadrilateral in shape
 ANTERIOR MARGIN: articulates with
the frontal bone at the frontoethmoidal
suture which is marked in the median
plane by the foramen caecum
 POSTERIOLY: articulates with the
lesser wing of sphenoid or jugum
sphenoidale.
 LATERALLY: articulates with the orbital
plate of the frontal bone, the suture
between them presents the anterior
ethmoidal canal placed behind the
crista galli
CRISTA GALLI
 Anteriorly the cribriform plate has a midline
projection called the crista galli
 On each side of the crista galli there are

foramina through which the ANTERIOR

ETHMOIDAL NERVE and VESSELS pass to the
nasal cavity
 The plate is perforated by numerous

foramina for the passage of olfactory nerve

rootlets
CLINICAL ANATOMY
 Fracture to anterior cranial fossa may
cause bleeding and discharge of
cerebrospinal fluid through the nose
 It may also cause a condition which is

known as black eye which is produced

by the seepage of blood into the eyelid
MIDDLE CRANIAL FOSSA
 It is deeper than the anterior cranial fossa
 It is shaped like a butterfly, being narrow and

shallow in the midline , and wide and deep

on each side
BOUNDARIES
 ANTERIOR: posterior border of lesser wing
of sphenoid and anterior clinoid process
 POSTERIOR: superior border of the petrous

temporal bone and dorsum sellae of the

sphenoid
 LATERAL: greater wing of sphenoid,

anteroinferior angle of the parietal bone and

the squamous temporal bone in the midline
 FLOOR: formed by body of sphenoid in the

median region and by the greater wing of

sphenoid, squamous temporal and the
anterior surface of petrous temporal on each
side
OPTIC CANAL
 BOUNDARIES:
 LATERALLY: by lesser wing of sphenoid

 MEDIALLY: body of sphenoid

OPTIC GROOVE
 Leads on each side to the optic canal
SELLA TURCICA
 It is the upper surface of the body of
sphenoid
 It consists of:

 Tuberculum sellae in front

 Hypophyseal fossa in the midline

 Dorsum sellae behind

GREATER WING OF SPHENOID
 Presents following features:
 FORAMEN ROTUNDUM: lies posteroinferior to

the medial end of the superior orbital fissure

 FORAMEN OVALE: posterolateral to the

foramen rotundum
 FORAMEN SPINOSUM: lies posterolateral to

the foramen ovale

 The groove for the middle meningeal vessels

leads forwards from the foramen spinosum

 FORAMEN LACERUM: lies on the posterior

end of the carotid canal

CLINICAL ANATOMY
 Fractures of the middle cranial fossa
produces:
 Bleeding and discharge of CSF through the

ear
 Bleeding through the nose or mouth

may occur due the involvement of

sphenoid bone
POSTERIOR CRANIAL FOSSA
 Largest and the deepest
 It contains hind brain which consists of

cerebellum behind and pons and

medulla in front
BOUNDARIES
 ANTERIOR: superior border of the petrous
temporal bone and the dorsum sellae of the
sphenoid bone
 POSTERIOR: squamous part of the occipital

bone
 EACH SIDES: mastoid part of temporal bone
FLOOR
 MEDAIN AREA: sloping area behind the
dorsum sellae in front .CLIVUS
 Foramen magnum in midline

 Squamous occipital behind

 LATERAL AREA: condylar part of occipital

bone
 posterior surface of the petrous temporal

bone
 Mastoid temporal bone
CLIVUS
 It is the sloping surface in front of the
foramen magnum
 Formed by fusion of the posterior part of the

body of sphenoid including the dorsum sellae

with the basilar part of the occipital bone
 On each side of the, the clivus is separated

from petrous temporal bone by the petro-

occipital fissure
FORAMEN MAGNUM
 Lies in the floor of fossa
 ANTERIORLY: by basiocciput

 POSTERIORLY: by the squamous part of

occipital bone
 SIDES: by the condylar part of the occipital

bone
SQUAMOUS PART OF OCCIPITAL BONE
 It shows following features:
 Internal occipital crest

 Internal occipital protuberance

LATERAL AREA
 CONDYLAR PART OF OCCIPITAL BONE: is
marked by the following:
 Jugular tubercle lies over the occipital

condyle
 Hypoglossal canal posteroanterior to the

jugular tubercle
OTHER FEATURES
 Internal acoustic meatus opens above and
anterior part of the jugular foramen
 Jugular foramen

 Mastoid part of the temporal bone

CLINICAL ANATOMY
 Fractures of the posterior cranial fossa
causes bruising over the mastoid region
extending down over the
sternocleidomastoid muscle