What is the skull?
The skull (cranium) forms the bony foundation of the head and the upward termination of the body. It is composed of various individual bones and fulfills several functions. Therefore, its anatomy is also quite complicated. The skull is roughly divided into a cerebral skull and a facial skull.
Cranium (Neurocranium)
The cranium includes:
- the frontal bone (Os frontale)
- the sphenoid bone (Os sphenoidale)
- the paired parietal bone (Os parietale)
- the occipital bone (Os occipitale)
The cranial sutures form the articulated connection between the individual bones of the skull. In young children, they are even more mobile than in adults – the cranial bones must be able to shift in newborns so that the child’s head fits through the birth canal.
Cranial cap
The upper part of the skull is called the cranial vault or cranial dome. It is formed by the frontal, parietal and occipital bones.
Base of the skull
The lower part of the brain skull is called the skull base. Read more about this part of the skull in the article Skull Base.
Sphenoid bone
The sphenoid bone – a bone shaped like a bat with open wings – is involved in the construction of the skull base. Read more about it in the article Cuneiform bone.
Frontal bone
The connective tissue bone suture between the frontal bone and the two parietal bones is called the wreath suture. It runs approximately where a hair band is worn.
Petrous bone
The petrous bone is part of the temporal bone (Os temporale) and houses the inner ear. Read more about it in the article Petrous bone.
The occipital bone, which forms the lower part of the back of the head, is connected to the first cervical vertebra (atlas) by a joint.
Facial skull (viscerocranium).
The facial skull includes:
- the paired nasal bone (Os nasale)
- the paired lacrimal bone (Os lacrimale)
- the paired inferior turbinate (Concha nasalis inferior)
- the ploughshare bone ( vomer)
- the paired zygomatic bone (Os zygomaticum)
- the paired palatine bone (Os palatinum)
- the upper jaw (maxilla)
- the lower jaw (Mandibula)
The junction between the sphenoid bone and the ethmoid bone at the base of the skull represents the transition from the cerebral to the facial skull.
Eye socket
Protectively embedded in the orbit is the eyeball. You can read more about this in the article Eye socket.
Nasal bone
A blow to the face quickly leads to a fracture of the nasal bone. Read more about this paired facial bone in the article Nasal bone.
Lacrimal bone
Zygomatic bone
The zygomatic bone is also called the cheekbone or cheekbone. You can learn more about this paired facial bone in the article zygomatic bone.
Lower jaw
The mandible is the largest and strongest facial bone and – apart from the ossicles – the only freely movable bone of the skull. You can read more about it in the article Lower jaw.
Upper jaw
Temporomandibular joint
The upper and lower jaws are not directly connected by a joint. Rather, the lower jaw hangs from the two temporal bones. The extremely articulated link between them are the temporomandibular joints. You can read more about them in the article TMJ.
What is the function of the skull?
In addition, the digestive and respiratory tracts begin at the skull with the mouth and nose.
Due to the sphere-like shape of the skull, not only the cranium lies above the facial skull (in contrast to the animals, where it lies behind the facial skull). This shape is also favorable for the balance of the head on the cervical spine during upright walking.
Where is the skull located?
What problems can the skull cause?
If boxers get a punch against the edge of the frontal bone above the eyebrows, the skin is bruised and tissue fluid and blood collect in the surrounding connective tissue – a swollen “black eye” is the result.
What problems can the skull cause?
If boxers get a punch against the edge of the frontal bone above the eyebrows, the skin is bruised and tissue fluid and blood collect in the surrounding connective tissue – a swollen “black eye” is the result.
Premature bony closure of the cranial suture results in a deformed skull.
Various benign and malignant tumors as well as metastases (daughter tumors of malignant tumors) can grow in the skull area.
Skull base fracture and skull fractures are fractures of the skull bone either at the base or anywhere in the skull area.
