lateral view of skull![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Skull: bony structure enclosing and protecting the brain. The eight cranial bones in an adult are fused to each other by means of sutures.
temporal bone ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Flat skull bone that protects mainly the organs responsible for hearing and equilibrium.
frontal bone ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Flat skull bone forming the forehead and top of the eye sockets, and articulating especially with the parietal.
zygomatic bone ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Bone forming the cheek pouch and the outer edge of the eye socket.
maxilla ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Toothed bone forming the upper jaw; it helps to form the palate, eye sockets and nasal fossae.
mandible ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Movable toothed bone forming the lower jaw; it is the only movable bone in the head and its articulation with the temporal bone allows the jaw to move.
occipital bone ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Flat skull bone articulating with the parietal bone and atlas (first cervical vertebra), among others; it makes up the largest portion of the base of the skull.
parietal bone ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Flat cranial bone articulating with the frontal, occipital, temporal and sphenoid bones; the two parietal bones form the largest portion of the dome of the skull.
lambdoid suture ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Immovable joint made of fibrous tissue connecting the occipital and the two parietal bones.
external auditory meatus ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Canal through which sounds collected by the auricle (outer section of the ear) reach the tympanic cavity, a hollow in the temporal bone.
mastoid process ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Protruding cone-shaped part of the temporal bone located behind the outer ear. Certain neck muscles, such as the sternocleidomatoid, are attached to it.
styloid process ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Elongated protuberance of the temporal bone; several tongue muscles are attached to it.
anterior nasal spine ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Bony middle protuberance of the jawbone beneath the nasal fossae; it supports the cartilage of the dividing wall of the nose.
nasal bone ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Small flat bone making up the skeleton of the nose; the two nasal bones are joined along the bridge of the nose.
sphenoid bone ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Bone located behind the nasal fossae; it articulates with all the cranial bones.
squamous suture ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Immobile joint made of fibrous tissue connecting the parietal and temporal bones.
coronal suture ![click to hear](/images/speaker.jpg)
Immobile joint made of fibrous tissue connecting the frontal bone and the two parietal bones.