The craniofacial skull forms a protective cover for the brain and the sense organs, and provides a

basis for the face. It also represents the beginning of the respiratory and digestive tract. With the
exception of the mobile lower jaw, the mandible, the craniofacial bones in adults are fixed in place
to form a whole. Race and constitution can affect the shape of the craniofacial skull, and different
individual forms exist. Different methods of measurement are used to distinguish these various
forms, yet all describe the ratio of skull width to skull length.

The craniofacial skull can be subdivided into the face and the cranium. A distinction is made
between the face and the cranium, which denote the brain and face parts of the skull respectively.
The border between these two parts runs past the root of the nose, along the top edge of the eye
sockets and across to the external auditory canals.

The face and cranium are composed of individual bones that, with a few exceptions, are
connected to each other by solid bone (known as a synostoses), by bone sutures, or by primary
cartilaginous joints (synchondroses).

The face comprises of 14 bones: the two maxillae, the two palatine bones, the two zygomatic
bones, the two nasal bones, the two lacrimal bones, the vomer, the two inferior conchae and the
independent mandible.

The cranium comprises of eight bones: the occipital bone, the two temporal bones, the sphenoid
bone, the frontal bone, the two parietal bones and the ethmoid bone.

The cranium can be divided into the bony roof of the skull (calvaria) and the base of the skull
(basis cranii), which denotes the inner surface of the skull floor.

Cranial Fossae

The cranial cavity is the interior of the skull that accommodates the brain and associated
structures. Many of the contents are located near the floor of the cranial cavity. This region can be
divided into three distinct fossae: the anterior, middle and posterior cranial fossae. The fossae
have a marked step-like appearance, such that the floor of the anterior cranial fossa is at the
highest level and the floor of the posterior cranial fossa is lowest.

Anterior Cranial Fossae

The orbital part of the frontal bone, the cribriform plates of the ethmoid bone with the crista galli,
and the lesser wings and jugum of the sphenoid bone form the anterior cranial fossa. It is
occupied mainly by the frontal lobes of the cerebral hemispheres of the brain.

Middle Cranial Fossae

The middle cranial fossa consists of a central part formed by the body of the sphenoid bone and
the right and left lateral parts are each formed by the greater wings of the sphenoid bone and the
squamous and petrous parts of the temporal bones. The central part is occupied mainly by the
pituitary gland. The lateral parts contain the temporal lobes of the cerebral hemispheres of the
brain.

Posterior Cranial Fossae

The posterior cranial fossa is formed by the basilar, lateral and lower squamous parts of the
occipital bone with the petrous and mastoid parts of the temporal bones. A small part of the
mastoid angles of the parietal bones with the dorsum sellae and posterior part of the body of the
sphenoid bone also contribute to the fossa. Unlike the other cranial fossae, the posterior cranial
fossa has a well-defined roof. A fold or septum of dura mater called the ‘tentorium cerebelli’ forms
this roof. The posterior cranial fossa contains the lowest part of the midbrain and the pons,
cerebellum and medulla oblongata. The region of the cranial cavity immediately above the
tentorium cerebelli contains the occipital lobes of the cerebral hemispheres of the brain.