Skeletal Nomenclature: The Related Skull Bone
The hyoid bone is a related skull bone that resembles a miniature mandible. It has two incisor teeth, and it has no direct articulation with other bones. Functions of this bone:
1. It stops styled processes from the temporal bone by ligaments
2. It stabilizes the tongue
3. It supplies attachments for muscles in the tongue, pharynx, and neck
Facial bones are also related skull bones, and they are made up of fourteen bones. These bones include:
1. Two nasal bones (right above the nasal opening; form the "bridge" of the nose)
2. The vomer bone (divides the nasal cavity into right and left sides)
3. Two zygomatic bones ("cheekbones"
4. Two lacrimal bones (smallest bones in the face)
5. Two inferior nasal concha bones (located on interior of nasal cavity)
6. Two fused maxillae (hold upper teeth in place; each one has a "sinus" which is a small hole where fluid can drain from the nasal cavity)
7. One mandible (holds lower teeth in place; the only facial bone we can move)
8. Two palatine bones (roof of mouth)
How the face appears will depend on the cartilaginous structures and the facial bone. For example, identifying characteristics such as high cheekbones, a wide forehead, or a prominent nose are all dependant on the structure of the facial bones.
The bony markings of facial bones are the nasal bones (no bony marking and capable of receiving massage), the vomer bone, (no bony marking and capable of receiving massage) sygomatic bones (no bony marking and capable of recieving massage), lacrimal bone (no bony marking and capable of receiving massage), inferior nasal concha bones (no bony marking and capable of receiving massage), palatine bones (muscle attachment), maxillae bones (mandibular ramus muscle attachment), and the mandible (mandibular angle muscle attachment, coronoid process, and condylar process-muscle attachment and joint formation).