Lab 2

Station 1
Use a skull model or specimen to locate the following structures.
- external occipital protuberance
- mastoid process (what is located within this structure?)
o mastoid air cells
- zygomatic arch (trace along its length to meet the temporal bone) What are the two
processes that unite to form this arch?
o Zygomatic process of the temporal bone and temporal process of the zygomatic
bone
- greater wing of sphenoid bone
- parietal eminences
- frontal eminences
- glabella
- temporomandibular joint
- angle of the mandible hyoid bone (on yourself! squeeze gently, inferiomedial to the angle of
the mandible)
- spinous process of C3 and C7 Can you palpate the spinous process of C1?
o No C1 does not have a spinous process
- clavicle: The medial one third of this bone is the origin for a large neck muscle that performs
the actions of flexion (when both left and right sides contract at once) and rotation (when
one side only is contracted).
o Identify (and palpate) the neck muscle described above: sternocleidomastoid muscle
(2 parts with insertions in sternum and clavicle and origin in the mandible)
- manubrium (inferior to sternal notch) This bone is one of the two origins of a major neck
muscle (which also forms the boundary for the anterior and posterior triangles of the neck).
o Which neck muscle originates on the anterior surface of the manubrium?
Sternocleidomastoid
o Identify two other neck muscles that connect the posterior surface of the
manubrium to the:
Hyoid bone: sternohyoid
Thyroid: sternothyroid

Station 2
INFRATEMPORAL FOSSA
- Anterior wall: maxillary tuberosity and pterygopalatine fissure
- Posterior wall: styloid process of the temporal bone
- Lateral wall: medial surface of the ramus of the mandible
- Medial wall: medial pterygoid muscle
- Roof: greater wing of the sphenoid bone
- Floor: medial pterygoid muscle
-

Artery: maxillary artery

Nerve: mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve
o Mandibular branch splits into 2 divisions: anterior and posterior
Anterior division serves muscles of mastication
Posterior division splits into lingual nerve (supplies tongue) and inferior
alveolar nerve (passes inferior alveolar canal to supply posterior surface of
teeth)
Muscles
o Insertion of the temporalis muscle
o Medial pterygoid muscle
o Lateral pterygoid muscle
Vein: pterygoid plexus of veins

Opthalmic
division
Trigeminal
nerve (CN3)

Maxillary division

Mandibular
division

Anterior branch

Muscles of mastication

Lingual nerve

Tongue

Posterior branch

Inferior alveolar nerve

Posterior
surface of the
teeth

Station 3
External surface
Head
Neck
Condylar process (head & neck)
Body
Ramus
Angle
Coronoid process
Mandibular (sigmoid) notch
Pterygoid fovea
Lingula
Mandibular foramen
Temporal crest (internal oblique line)
Retromolar fossa
Coronoid notch
Mental foramen
Mental protuberance
Mental tubercle
Alveolar Process
External oblique line (ridge)
Groove for the facial artery
Internal surface
Mylohyoid ridge (what attaches here?) mylohyoid muscle to form the floor of the oral cavity
Submandibular fossa (what sits here?) submandibular salivary gland
Sublingual fossa (what sits here?) sublingual salivary gland
Genial tubercles (mental spines/mental ossicles) (attached?)
Digastric fossa (what attaches here?) anterior belly of the digastric muscle
Angle - attachment of medial pterygoid
Inferior alveolar canal inferior alveolar nerve of the posterior division of the mandibular branch of
the trigeminal nerve
Internal oblique ridge

Station 4
TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT (TMJ)
Articular tubercle of
the temporal bone

Articular eminence of the

temporal bone

Meniscus of the TMJ

Condyle of the
mandible

Ligaments present
True ligaments:
- Lateral ligament
- Medial/capsular ligament
Accessory ligaments:
- Sphenomandibular ligament (from the spine of the sphenoid bone to the lingula of the
mandible)
- Stylomandibular ligament (from the styloid process of the temporal bone to the posterior
border of the angle of the mandible)

Station 5
Muscles of mastication
*When muscles contract, the insertion moves towards the origin
Muscle
Origin
Insertion
Primary muscles
Temporalis
Superficial head:
Medial side of coronoid
temporal fascia of the
process of the mandible
temporal bone
Deep head: Temporal
fossa (inferior temporal
line) of the temporal
bone
Medial pterygoid Superficial head:
Internal side of the
maxillary tuberosity of
angle of the mandible
the maxilla and
pyramidal process of
the palatine bone
Deep head: medial
surface of the lateral
pterygoid plate of the
sphenoid bone
Lateral pterygoid Upper head:
Upper head: Front of
infratemporal surface of the articular disk of the
the greater wing of the
temporomandibular
sphenoid between
joint
foramen ovale and the
Lower head: Pterygoid
infratemporal crest
fovea of the mandible
Lower head: Lateral
surface of the lateral
pterygoid plate of the
sphenoid bone
Masseter
3 heads (superficial,
3 heads (superficial,
medial and deep):
medial and deep):
zygomatic arch
lateral side of the ramus
of the mandible
Accessory muscles
Digastric
Posterior belly begins at Anterior belly inserts
mastoid process of the
into digastric fossa of
temporal bone
the mandible

Mylohyoid

Mylohyoid line of the

mandible

Hyoid bone

Function
Vertical fibers: elevation
Horizontal fibers:
retraction
Unilateral: lateral
movement

Elevation

Bilateral (work together):

protraction
Unilateral (work
individually): lateral
movements

Elevation
Assists in protraction,
retraction and lateral
movements
With hyoid bone
stabilized: elevation of
mandible
With mandible stabilized:
helps in swallowing by
elevating hyoid bone
With hyoid bone
stabilized: elevation of
mandible
With mandible stabilized:
helps in swallowing by
elevating hyoid bone

Trial Exam
1. Identify the bony structure and the structures passing through it
Mental foramen: mental nerve and mental artery
2. Identify the bony structure and 1 structure that attaches to it
Coronoid process of the mandible: Temporalis muscle insertion
3. Identify the bony structure and 2 structures attached to it
Angle of mandible: Stylomandibular ligament, medial pterygoid muscle
4. Identify the bony structure and 2 structures attached to it
Genial tubercles: genioglossus muscle, geniohyoid muscle
5. Identify the bony structure and what passes through it
Foramen rotundum: maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve
6. Identify the bony structure and what passes through it
Foramen magnum: spinal cord
7. Identify the bony structure and its function
Maxillary sinus: helps to reduce the weight of the skull, humidifies and makes the air more turbulent
8. Identify the bony structure and what passes through it
Stylomastoid foramen: facial nerve and stylomastoid artery
9. Identify the bone and name the pinned structure
Sphenoid bone: foramen spinosum
10. Identify the bone and 3 bones that articulate with it
Zygomatic bone: frontal, maxillary and temporal bones