Facial Bones Flashcards

Explore the fourteen facial bones, their anatomical landmarks, articulations, foramina, contributions to facial cavities, and clinical relationships.

Card 1 of 30Question

How many bones form the facial skeleton of the adult skull?

Fourteen bones, comprising six paired bones and two unpaired bones.

In This Section

1. How many bones form the facial skeleton of the adult skull?

Fourteen bones, comprising six paired bones and two unpaired bones.

2. What is the anatomical name for the facial skeleton?

The viscerocranium.

3. Which six facial bones occur as bilateral pairs?

The maxillae, zygomatic, nasal, lacrimal, palatine, and inferior nasal conchal bones.

4. Which two facial bones are unpaired?

The mandible and vomer.

5. Which facial bone forms the upper jaw?

The maxilla, which contains the sockets for the upper teeth.

6. Which facial bone forms the lower jaw?

The mandible.

7. Which bone is the largest and strongest bone of the facial skeleton?

The mandible.

8. Which facial bones form the prominence of the cheeks?

The paired zygomatic bones.

9. Which facial bones form the bony bridge of the nose?

The paired nasal bones.

10. Which facial bones form part of the anterior medial walls of the orbits?

The paired lacrimal bones.

11. Which facial bones form the posterior portion of the hard palate?

The horizontal plates of the palatine bones.

12. Which facial bone forms the posteroinferior portion of the nasal septum?

The vomer.

13. Which facial bones project from the lower portions of the lateral nasal walls?

The inferior nasal conchae.

14. Which facial bone contains the largest paranasal sinus?

The maxilla, containing the maxillary sinus.

15. Which processes of the maxilla form the anterior three-fourths of the hard palate?

The palatine processes of the right and left maxillae.

16. What is the alveolar process of the maxilla?

The tooth-bearing projection containing the alveoli for the upper teeth.

17. What is the mandibular foramen?

An opening on the medial surface of the mandibular ramus that transmits the inferior alveolar nerve and vessels.

18. Which nerve exits the mandible through the mental foramen?

The mental nerve, a terminal branch of the inferior alveolar nerve.

19. Which part of the mandible articulates with the temporal bone?

The head of the mandibular condylar process.

20. Which facial bone contributes to the lateral orbital wall and orbital floor?

The zygomatic bone.

21. Which two bones unite to form the zygomatic arch?

The zygomatic process of the temporal bone and the temporal process of the zygomatic bone.

22. Which facial bone contains the lacrimal groove that contributes to the nasolacrimal canal?

The lacrimal bone, together with the maxilla.

23. Which part of the palatine bone contributes to the lateral wall of the nasal cavity?

The perpendicular plate.

24. Which bone articulates with the superior border of the vomer to complete the bony nasal septum?

The perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone.

25. How do the inferior nasal conchae differ from the superior and middle nasal conchae?

The inferior nasal conchae are independent facial bones, whereas the superior and middle conchae are parts of the ethmoid bone.

26. Which facial bones contribute directly to the bony orbital floor?

The maxilla, zygomatic bone, and palatine bone.

27. Which nerve passes through the infraorbital foramen of the maxilla?

The infraorbital nerve, a branch of the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve.

28. How do most facial bones develop embryologically?

Primarily through intramembranous ossification of mesenchymal tissue.

29. What is a Le Fort fracture?

A fracture pattern involving the midfacial skeleton, particularly the maxilla and adjacent facial bones.

30. Which structure is commonly injured in an orbital floor blowout fracture?

The infraorbital nerve, potentially causing sensory loss over the cheek, upper lip, and lower eyelid.