Skull Bones: Mandible

The mandibleLower jawbone; only movable bone of the skull; U-shaped and largest facial bone., or lower jaw bone, joins with the temporal boneBones on the sides of the skull near the ears; house structures of hearing and balance. at the temporal-mandibular joint. It is the culprit of TMJ diseases.

The mandible or the lower jaw bone is more complicated that you would think.  It’s a curved bone, actually two bones, fused together.  The mandible has two general areas. The ramus means slope. The body is like the piece under your teeth.  Feel your mandible in your face.  Because you have a small fad pad between the skinThe body’s largest organ, providing protection and regulation. and bone here you can feel the bone.  There is only one feature in the body that you have to know called the mental foramenSmall holes on the front of the mandible below the premolars; allow nerves and vessels to pass..  This is a little hole through which nerves run.  These nerves are part of a big nerve that comes from your cranium called the trigeminal nerve.  This is the nerve that serves your teeth and makes them sensitive.  The only feature on the ramus is the mandibular anglePosterior corner of the jaw where the body meets the ramus; easily felt at the jawline bend..  Look where this is on the picture an feel where it is on the side of your face.  This is where the bone angles upward to meet with your temporal bone of the skull. 

The top of the mandible forms a Y.  These two points or ends of the Y are called processes.  Sometimes they are also called condyles. We know this word means a knobby end that fits with another bone.  We talked about the mandibular process as part of the temporomandibular joint.  This is the posterior process on the bone, the anteriorThe front of the body or toward the front when standing in the anatomical position. process is called the coronoid processTriangular projection on mandible’s upper front edge for muscle attachment; in front of the condyl.  Yes, you also have a coronoid process on the ulnaMedial forearm bone (pinky side); forms the elbow hinge with humerus..  Is it on the anterior or posterior of the ulna?  Huh??

The mandible isn’t really a skull bone, but a facial bone.  It is attached to the skull mostly by tendons and ligaments. These connect to the mastoid processLarge, rounded bump behind the ear; attachment for neck muscles.. There is also a point of the mandible called the mandibular condyleRounded knob at the back of the mandible that fits into the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone (f. It fits into the temporal bone.  This little indentation on the temporal bone is the called the mandibular fossaShallow depression in the temporal bone where the mandible articulates (TMJ joint)..  When you have TMJ, it can result from grinding your teeth. This condition is the inflammation of the temporal-mandibular joint. It is the place where the mandible fits into the temporal bone.  If the lower jaw becomes dislocated, the trick is to apply pressureThe force exerted by gases in the respiratory system, affecting airflow and gas exchange. downward on the bottom of the mouthThe opening of the digestive tract where food enters and mastication begins.. This will release the bones and allow them to move into place.  The maxillaUpper jaw bones; form upper teeth sockets, hard palate front, and parts of the nose and orbit. is the upper jaw and the cheekbone is called the zygomaticCheekbones; form lateral walls of orbits and connect to temporal bones via zygomatic process. bone.