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Osteology of the Skull and Cervical Vertebrae

Oral Biology

Alex Forrest
Associate Professor of Forensic Odontology Forensic Science Research & Innovation Centre, Griffith University Consultant Forensic Odontologist, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, 39 Kessels Rd, Coopers Plains, Queensland, Australia 4108

Learning Objective

You should be able to apply the principles underlying correlation of form and function in the head and neck to gain a basic comprehension of the structure of the human skull and cervical vertebrae, and to begin to relate this to the surface features of the head and neck.

Skull

The Skull

The Skull

The skull, which comprises the mandible and the cranium, is the most highly modified region of the human skeleton. It is adapted to support and contain the brain and special senses, and to secure and process food.

It is specialized so that the mouth and special senses are positioned at the head end of the body. It offers protection to the brain not only from forces external to the body, but also from those generated from within the body, such as by the muscles of mastication.

The Skull

The Skull

The upper part of the cranium forms a box which encloses and protects the brain. This is termed the calvaria. Note that the term calvaria is not a plural term.
Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 257

The remainder of the skull forms the facial skeleton. The upper part of the facial skeleton is firmly fixed to the calvaria and is not movable, but the lower part is the moveable mandible.

Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 257

The Skull

The Skull

The joints between the bones of the cranium are an immovable type of fibrous joint called a suture. This kind of fibrous joint permits the growth of the calvaria and face. It is not found in any other area of the skeleton.

With increasing age, many of the sutures, especially in the calvaria, ossify from the inside outwards and may disappear altogether. The relationship between the amount of ossification and age appears to be too inconstant to allow it to be used for the definitive assessment of the age at death of an individual.

The Skull

Some of the bones of the skull are paired, and some are single. Well check out the single bones, then look at the paired ones.

Single Bones

Frontal Bone

Frontal Bone

Remains of Metopic Suture Superciliary Ridges & Glabella Supraorbital Margins Supraorbital Foramina/Notches Zygomatic Process
Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 261

Part of Superior & Inferior Temporal Lines Nasal Spine

Where is it?

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 298

Frontal Bone

Occipital Bone

Orbital Plate Supraorbital notch Ethmoidal Notch Frontal Crest Zygomatic Process Nasal Spine

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 299

Where is it?

Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 257

Occipital Bone

Occipital Bone

Squamous Part External Occipital Protuberance Nuchal Lines F. Magnum

Pharyngeal Tubercle Condyle Condylar Canal

Condylar Canal Hypoglossal Canal

External Occipital Crest Jugular Process

Condyle

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 285

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 286

Occipital Bone

Ethmoid Bone

Sulcus for Superior Sagittal Sinus Groove for Transverse Sinus Internal Occipital Protuberance Basilar Part
Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 261

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 287

Where is it?

Ethmoid Bone

Ethmoid Bone

Crista Galli Crista Galli

Perpendicular Plate Ethmoid Air Cells or Sinus (Labyrinth) Superior Concha

Perpendicular Plate

Ethmoid Air Cells or Sinus (Labyrinth)

Middle Concha

Cribriform Plate

Orbital Plate

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 300

Posterior View

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 300

Superior View

Ethmoid Bone

Ethmoid Bone

Crista Galli Orbital Plate Ethmoid Air Cells Perpendicular Plate Middle Concha

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 300 From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 300

Lateral View

The Nasal Septum and its Articulations

Sphenoid Bone

Sphenoid Bone

Greater Wing Lesser Wing Superior Orbital Fissure Foramen Rotundum Body Dorsum Sellae Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 261 Ant. Clinoid Process Post. Clinoid Process

Where is it?

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 288

Posterior View

Sphenoid Bone

Sphenoid Bone

Greater Wing Lateral Pterygoid Plate Lesser Wing Medial Pterygoid Plate Pterygoid Hamulus Scaphoid Fossa Vaginal Process Spine of the Sphenoid Emissary Sphenoidal Foramen Optic Canal Sella Turcica Hypophyseal Fossa Foramen Ovale Foramen Spinosum

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 288

Posterior View

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 288

Superior View

Sphenoid Bone

Sphenoid Bone

Tuberculum Sellae Ant. Clinoid Process Post. Clinoid Process Dorsum Sellae Sup. Orbital Fissure Spine of Sphenoid Carotid Sulcus

Sup. Orbital Fissure Foramen Rotundum Pterygoid Canal Orbital Surface Temporal Surface Infratemporal Surface Posterior Surface of Pterygopalatine Fossa From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 288

Anterior View
From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 288

Superior View

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 288

Parietal Bones

Paired Bones

Where are they?

Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 257

Parietal Bones

Temporal Bones

Superior Temporal Line

Inferior Temporal Line Sometimes, Parietal Foramen

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 296

External View

Where are they?

Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 257

Temporal Bones

Temporal Bones

Squamous Part

Mastoid part

The temporal bones comprise four parts:

1. Squamous Part 2. Mastoid Part 3. Petrous Part 4. Styloid Process

Styloid Process

Tympanic Plate

External Auditory Meatus

Zygomatic Process

Mastoid Process

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 291

External View

Temporal Bones

Temporal Bones

Glenoid Fossa

Articular Eminence

Glenoid Fossa Squamotympanic Fissure Petrotympanic Fissure Petrosquamous Fissure Tegmen Tympani

Tympanic Plate

Postglenoid Tubercle Position of Squamotympanic Fissure Suprameatal Triangle

Opening of Anterior Canaliculus for Chorda Tympani

Sheath of Styloid Process

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 291

External View

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 291

Inferior View

Temporal Bones

Temporal Bones

Zygomatic Process Petrous Part Mastoid Process Digastric Notch Groove for Occipital Artery Articular Eminence Styloid Process Stylomastoid Foramen Tegmen Tympani Carotid Canal Arcuate Eminence Internal Auditory Meatus Sulcus for Sigmoid Sinus

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 291

Inferior View

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 292

Internal View

Maxillae

Maxillae

Frontal Process Zygomatic Process Alveolar Process Nasal Notch Anterior Nasal Spine Infraorbital Foramen Maxillary Tuberosity Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 261 Canine Eminence Incisive Fossa Posterior Superior Dental Canals

Where are they?

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 304

Lateral View

Maxillae

Maxillae

Frontal Sinus Maxillary Sinus Nasolacrimal Groove Alveolar Process Nasal Notch Anterior Nasal Spine Maxillary Tuberosity

Nasolacrimal Groove Maxillary Hiatus Alveolar Process Palatine Process Greater Palatine Canal Incisive Canal Maxillary Tuberosity

Articulations with other Bones

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 305

Lateral Cutaway View

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 305

Medial View

Zygomatic Bones

Zygomatic Bones

Frontal Process Maxillary Process Temporal Process Zygomaticofacial Foramen Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 261 Malar Process

Where are they?

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 309

Lateral View in Situ

Palatine Bones

Lacrimal Bones

Perpendicular Plate Pyramidal Process Horizontal Plate Orbital Process Sphenoidal Process Palatomaxillary Suture Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 261

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 307

Medial View in Situ

Where are they?

Lacrimal Bones

Mandible

Orbital Surface Lacrimal Groove

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 302

Orbital View (Lateral)

Where is it?

Modified from Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 257

Mandible

Mandible

Condylar Process Condyle Coronoid Process Angle Body Ramus

Mandibular Notch External Oblique Ridge Mental Foramen Incisive Fossa Mental Protuberance Mental Tubercle

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 281

External View

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 281

External View

Mandible

The Palate

Palatine Processes of Maxilla Lingula Mandibular Foramen Mylohyoid Ridge Submandibular Fossa Sublingual Fossa Genial Tubercles Digastric Fossa Horizontal Plates of Palatine Bone Intermaxillary Suture Palatomaxillary Suture Incisive Fossa Incisive Canal Greater Palatine Foramen Lesser Palatine Foramina

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 281

Internal View

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 270

Inferior View

Hyoid Bone

Hyoid Bone

The hyoid bone is not attached directly to the rest of the skeleton. It is suspended from the styloid processes by the stylohyoid ligaments. Superiorly, the digastric and geniohyoid muscles attach to it, as well as middle constrictor and hyoglossus. Anteriorly, mylohyoid and stylohyoid attach. Anteroinferiorly, the sternohyoid muscle helps depress the hyoid bone.

Body Lesser Cornu Greater Cornu

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 285

Anterosuperior View

Vertebral Column

Vertebral Column

The vertebral column is formed of 33 vertebrae, classified as follows:

7 cervical 12 thoracic 5 lumbar 5 sacral 4 coccygeal

Vertebrae

Cervical Vertebrae

Body Neural or Vertebral Arch

Vertebrae possess common features throughout the vertebral column. These include the following:
body neural or vertebral arch transverse processes articular processes pedicles laminae

Transverse Process Anterior Tubercle Posterior Tubercle Articular Process Articular Facet Pedicle Lamina Spinous Process Transverse Foramen From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 234

spinous processes

Superior View Typical Cervical Vertebra

Cervical Vertebrae

Cervical Vertebrae

Body Anterior Tubercle Posterior Tubercle Superior Vertebral Notch Sulcus for Ventral Ramus of Spinal Nerve Spinous Process From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 234

Spinal nerves emerge from the intervertebral foramina formed by the superior and inferior vertebral notches of adjacent vertebrae, on either side of which are the anterior and posterior tubercle. Vertebrae are held together by strong ligaments.

Lateral View Typical Cervical Vertebra

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 237

Anterior View

Cervical Vertebrae

1st Cervical Vertebra

Cervical vertebrae 3-6 follow the plan of a typical cervical vertebra, but vertebrae 1, 2 and 7 are varied from this scheme, so they are discussed individually.

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 235

Atlas Vertebra Superior View

2nd Cervical Vertebra

2nd Cervical Vertebra

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 236

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 236

Axis Vertebra Superior View

Axis Vertebra Lateral View

7th Cervical Vertebra

How do the bones relate to the overlying soft tissues? Why do the vertebrae have the forms they have? Think about it and query every aspect of the design. Ask yourself constantly, Why is it like this and not different?

From Grays Anatomy, Longman, London, 35th Edition, 1973. p 236

7th Cervical Vertebra Superior View

The End