The facial skeleton comprises 6 paired bones, which are the maxillae, inferior conchae, nasal, lacrimal, palatine and zygomatic bones; and 2 unpaired bones: the mandible and vomer.
Bone | Contributes to | Key features | Foramina |
|---|---|---|---|
Maxilla | Floor of orbit, anterior hard palate, lateral wall and floor of nasal cavity | Maxillary sinus, alveolar processes | Infraorbital foramen, incisive canal |
Zygomatic | Lateral orbital wall | Temporal process | Zygomaticofacial, zygomaticotemporal and zygomaticoorbital foramina |
Palatine | Posterior hard palate | Horizontal and perpendicular plates | Greater palatine and lesser palatine foramina |
Nasal | Anterior roof of nasal cavity | Internasal and frontonasal sutures | None |
Lacrimal | Medial orbital wall | Posterior lacrimal crest | Nasolacrimal canal |
Inferior nasal concha | Lateral nasal wall | Independent concha | None |
Vomer | Posteroinferior bony nasal septum | Thin, plough-shaped plate | None |
Mandible | Lateral wall of infratemporal fossa | Body and rami with angle, coronoid process | Mandibular foramen → mandibular canal → mental foramen |