4. THE FLOOR OF SKULL

• What are the two main portions of the skeleton?

  Axial and appendicular skeleton
• What does the axial skeleton consist of?

  Cranium, vertebral column, ribs, sternum
• What are the two types of cranial bones?

  Paired and unpaired cranial bones
• What are fontanelles?


  Spaces between infant skull bones
• How many fontanelles are there?

  Two fontanelles
• What is the anterior fontanelle also called?

  Soft spot
• When does the anterior fontanelle typically close?

  About 2 years of age
• What is the posterior fontanelle's location?

  Between parietal and occipital bones
• What is a fissure in bone markings?

  Narrow slit for vessels or nerves
• What is the foramen magnum?

  Opening for blood vessels and nerves
• What is a meatus?

  Tube-like opening in bone
• What is a fossa?

  Shallow depression in bone
• What is a condyle?


  Large, round protuberance on bone
• What is the function of processes on bones?

  Form joints or attachment points
• Name a paired cranial bone.

  Parietal bone
• Name an unpaired cranial bone.

  Frontal bone
• How do parietal bones articulate with each other?

  Via the mid-sagittal suture
• What is the coronal suture?

  Suture between frontal and parietal bones
• What is the lambdoid suture?

  Suture between parietal and occipital bones
• What is the significance of the occipital condyles?

  Articulate with the first cervical vertebra
• What is the sphenoid bone's role?

  Connects cranial and facial skeletons
• What is the ethmoid bone's unique feature?

  Contains the crista galli
• What are the paired facial bones?

  Lacrimals, nasals, zygomatics, maxillae, palatines, inferior nasal conchae
• What is the unpaired facial bone?

  Vomer, mandible, hyoid
• What do lacrimal bones form?

  Medial wall of eye orbit
• What do maxillae bones form?

  Upper jaw and upper dentation
• What is the function of the vomer bone?

  Forms part of the nasal septum
• What is the hyoid bone's location?

  Between mandible and larynx
• What is a suture?

  Immovable fibrous joint in skull
• Name a junction of sutures.

  Bregma
• What is the foramen lacerum?

  Opening for nerves and vessels
• What is the significance of the superior orbital fissure?

  Passage for nerves and vessels
• What is the function of cranial bones?

  Protect the brain and support face
• What is the significance of foramina in the skull?

  Allow passage of nerves and vessels
• How do sutures contribute to skull structure?

  Join skull bones and allow growth
• What developmental changes occur in cranial bones?

  Fontanelles close as child grows