Function of skull
Encloses, supports and protects brain and meninges
Contains foramina for the transmission of nerves and vessels
Forms foundation for the face
Contains specialized cavities and openings for sense organs (e.g., nasal, oral)
Neurocranium
Cranial vault and base of skull
Encloses and protects brain
Composed of 8 bones
Bones united by interlocking sutures
Can be divided
Calvaria-dome-like roof
Cranial base
Calvaria composed of 4 bones
Frontal bone anteriorly
Occipital bone posteriorly
Two parietal bones laterally
Cranial base formed from
Ethmoid bone
Parts of occipital and temporal bones
Viscerocranium
= facial skeleton
Composed of 14 bones
Encloses orbits, nose, paranasal sinuses, mouth, and pharynx
Maxillae and mandible form upper and lower jaw, respectively, and house the teeth
There are also three auditory ossicles
Malleus, incus, and stapes
Found spanning tympanic cavity
First bones to be completely ossified during developmentMajor sutures of the skull
Most bones of the skull are bound by sutures, a type of fibrous joint that fuses with age and becomes immobile.
Coronal suture separates frontal and parietal bones
Sagittal suture separates two parietal bones
Lambdoid suture separates parietal and temporal bones from occipital bones
Squamous suture separates squamous part of temporal bone from parietal bone
Sphenosquamous suture separates squamous part of temporal bone from greater wing of the sphenoid
Metopic suture between two frontal bones is largely obliterated with fusion of frontal bones