Anatomical Terms Used in Description of Bones

Anatomical Terms Used In Description of
Bones
1. Foramen: an opening or a hole in a bone

2. Canal: Bony tunnel (foramen of some length)
3. Canaliculus: a very narrow canal
4. Meatus: a narrow passage
5. Sulcus: a groove or furrow
6. Pit or fovea: a small depression
7. Fossa: a large depression (may be articular or
non articular
• Facet : a small, smooth articular area of a bone
• Ridge: a linear elevation, usually rough
• Crest: a ridge of some breadth
• Lip: the raised margin of a crest
• Process: localized elevation or projection of large size
• Tubercle: a small localized rounded thickening
• Tuberosity: same as tubercle but larger in size
• Head: a round articular area of bone
• Spine: a sharp pointed projection
• lamina: a thin plate of bone
• Sinus: cavity inside a bone eg. Air sinuses of skull.
Bones of Skull
• A. The calvaria/Brain case consists
of 8 bones
• Paired:- 1.parietal 2.Temporal
• Unpaired:- Frontal, occipital,
sphenoid, ethmoid
• B. The facial skeleton consists of

14 bones
• Paired: Maxilla, Zygomatic, Nasal,
lacrimal, Palatine, Inf Nasal Concha
• Unpaired: Mandible, Vomer
Mandible
• Largest & strongest bone of the face and forms the lower jaw.
• Parts:
• 1. Body: horse shoe (u) shaped, horizontal and convex forward
• 2. Rami: one ramus on each side, projecting upwards from the
posterior ends of the body.
• Body
• Possesses: 2 surfaces- 1. external 2. internal
2 borders- 1.upper(Alveolar), 2. Lower (base)
Surfaces:
• A. external surface: Convex in outline
• Presents:
 Symphisis menti: a faint ridge in the midline in the upper part of the
body (indicates fusion of two halves of foetal bone)
 Mental protuberence: triangular raised area below sym menti, & forms
the prominence of chin.
 Mental tubercles: small tubercle at each lateral angle of the mental
protuberence.
 Mental foramen: a foramen below the interval between the 1st & 2nd
premolar teeth. It leads into the mandibular canal. It gives exit to
mental nerve and vessels.
 Ext oblique line: a faint line running upward & backward on each side
from the mental tubercle, very prominent behind and continuous with
the ant border of ramus.
 Ant part gives origin to:
 Depressor labii inferioris: infront
 Depressor angulioris: behind.
 Its post part and the adjoining area gives origin of

buccinator.
 Platysma is inserted below the oblique line.
 Incisive fossa: shallow depression below the incisor teeth.
Gives origin to:-1. Mentalis 2. Parts of orbicularis oris.
B. Internal Surface: Concave in outline.

Presents:
•Mylohyoid ridge: (int oblique line): an oblique ridge running
forward and downwards on each side from 3rd Molar tooth to the
symphysis menti; very prominent behind. It divides the int surface
in to 2 areas.
a. Submandibular fossa below the line
b. Sublingual fossa above the line
•Gives origin to :
 mylohyoid muscle: throughout its whole length.
Sup constrictor muscle of pharynx: from its post end.
•Groove for lingual nerve: a groove above the mylohyoid line but
below the last molar tooth. It lodges lingual nerve. Above this
groove sup constrictor muscle is attached.
•Sub-Mandibular fossa: a triangular hollow area
below the mylohyoid line
Lodges- 1. submandibular gland
2. submandibular lymph nodes
3. facial artery
• Sublingual fossa: a triangular concave area above the
mylohyoid line.
lodges- sublingual salivary gland
• Genial tubercles: 4 in numbers, just above the ant ends
of mylohoid lines. They lie in pairs- 2 upper & 2 lower
upper tubercle- gives origin to genioglossus muscles,
one on each side.
lower tubercle- gives origin to geniohyoid muscles, on
each side.
• Mylohyoid groove: runs downwards and forwards from
the ramus on to the body below the post end of
mylohyoid line
transmits- mylohyoid vessels and nerves.
Borders
– Upper border (alveolar part):
presents: 16 sockets, 8 on each side for lodging
the roots of teeth.
Dental formulae: ICPM/2123
• Lower border (base of mandible):
-thick and rounded
-continuous with lower border of ramus behind 3rd
molar teeth.
Presents:-
#Digastric fossa: a shallow depression on either side of
mid-line. It gives origin to ant belly of digastric.
#Insertion of platysma: lower border & extending
anteriorly on to the adjoining ext surface.
Ramus
• Flattened, quadrilateral part projecting upwards from the
post end of the body on each side, gives insertion to all
muscles of mastication.
• Possesses:
2 surfaces: 1. external (lateral) 2. internal (medial)
4 borders: anterior, posterior, upper, lower
• 2 processes: 1. coronoid 2. condyloid
• Surfaces:
a. lateral (ext) surface: flat surface, rough
throughout except in upper & post part which is smooth
Presents:-
1. Insertion of masseter muscle: to a rough area
2. Parotid gland lies in smooth upper & post part.
B. Medial (int surface)

Presents:-
1. Mandibular foramen- near the center,leads into a
mandible canal and finally into mental foramen.
2. Lingula- a sharp thin process of bone projection from
medial margin of mandibular foramen. Gives
attachment to sphenomandibular ligaments.
3. Mylohyoid groove- begins just behind linguala and
runs downwards & forwards to fade out at the post
end of submandibular fossa.
Lodges- mylohyoid vessels & nerves
4. Medial pterigoid is inserted below & behind the

mylohyoid groove.
• Borders:-
• Ant border: sharp/ prominent. Continuous above to the anterior
border of coronoid process & below the oblique line.
• Post border: thick/ rounded, concave in the middle
• Upper (superior) border:
• Presents:
• Mandibular notch- in the middle
• Coronoid process- in front
• Condyloid process- behind
• Mandibular notch transmit- masseteric vessels & nerves
• Lower (inferior) border: continuous in front with the base of
mandible.
• Processes:
• Coronoid process: flat & traingular with the apex pointing upwards
while the base is fused with upper & ant part of ramus. Its ant border
is continuous with ant border of the ramus & the post border forms
the ant boundary of mandibular notch.
1. Insertion of temporalis muscle: to the apex, margins, whole of medial
surface and a part of lat surface close to the apex.
2. Masseter covers lateral surface.
• Condyloid process: projects upwards from the upper &
post part of ramus.
• Presents:-
1. Head of Mandible: thick and expanded upper part.

Articulates with the articular part of mandibular fossa
of temporal bone to form TMJ.
2. Neck of Mandible: the constricted part just below the
head. It gives attachment to lat. Ligament of TMJ.
Ant surface of the neck is hollowed out into a
depression called pterygoid fovea or pit which gives
insertion to lat pterygoid muscle.
cervical vertebrae
Vertebrae Number Spinal number
Vertebral column consists of a
number of separate irregular
bones called vertebrae.
Forms the central axis of the Cervical 7 cervical 8
body
• Functions:
1. Protects spinal cord thoracic 12 thoracic 12
2. Supports and transmits body
weight
3. Provides attachment to axial
muscles lumber 5 lumber 5
4. Provides movement of the
trunk
There are 33 vertebrae & 31 pairs
of spinal nerves sacral 5 sacral 5
coccyx 4 coccyx 1
Characteristics of vertebrae:
A typical vertebrae has 2 parts
1. Body – Ant or ventral
2. Neural arch- post or dorsal
Vertebral foramen: lies between body and arch. In between vertebrae there are
intervertebral discs. Vertebral foramen lodges spinal cord with its
meninges & blood vessels.
Body of vertebrae:
• Shape and size: nearly cylindrical and shape varies in different regions.
• 6 surfaces: Ant/post, upper/lower, 2 lateral
Vertebral (neural ) arch:

1. Pairs of pedicles
2. Pairs of lamina
3. Seven processes-
• Spinous-1
• Articular-4
• Transverse-2
Arch is connected to the body by the pedicles.

1. pedicles- short, thick & passes backwards from the junction
of lat & post surface of the body.
2. Laminae- broad plates lying behind & medial to pedicles.
They fuse behind in a median plane into the spinous process.
3. Spinous process- passes backward and downward from the
junction of the 2 laminae.
4. Articular processes- 4 in number, 2 superior, 2 inferior. Arises
from junction of pedicles & laminae.
5. Transverse processes- 2 in number projects lat from the
junction of pedicle and laminae. In thoracic region they
articulates with ribs.
• Distinguishing features of vertebrae:

• Cervical- presence of foramen in transverse process called
foramen transversarium.
• Thoracic- presence of costal facet on the body
• Lumber- no foramen no costal facets on the body.
Cervical vertebrae
• 7 in numbers
• Identification: presence of foramen transversarium in the transverse process
• Typical c.v: 3,4,5,6
• Atypical c.v: 1,2,7
• 1st c.v – atlas
• 2nd c.v- axis
• 7th c.v- vertebra prominens
Characteristics of typical vertebrae:

1. Body:
• Smallest of all vertebrae
• Transverse> AP measurement
• Post surface has 2 vascular foramen, to transmit basi vertebral vein
& NA.
• Ant. & post surfaces are flat.
• Attachments:
A. Anterior surface:
• Ant long ligament: to upper and lower borders
B. Posterior surface:
• Post long ligament: to upper and lower borders
2. Vertebral foramen:
• Larger than the body
• Triangular
3. Pedicles:
• Projects laterally and backwards
4. Laminae:
• Long and narrow
• Ligamentum flava attached to upper and lower part of anterior
surface.
5. Spine:
• short and bifid
• Ligmentum nuchae is attached to it
6. Articular processes:
• Form an articular pillar which projects laterally at the
junction of pedicles and laminae.
• Articular facets are flat and oval
7. Transverse process:
• pierced by foramen called foramen transversarium
• Transmits: vertebral artery & vein
Attachment:
Atlas
• Distinguishing points:
• No body
• No spine
• It has 2 arches: ant & post
• 2 lateral masses
1. Lateral masses:
• Lie obliquly between 2 arches
A. Superior articular facets:
• Faces upwards and medially
• Concave and elongated (kidney shaped)
B. Inferior articular facet:
• Faces downwards and backwards.
• Round, slightly concave and flat
2. Anterior arch:
• Short, curved anteriorly
• Connects to lateral masses
• There is a rough tubercle on the anterior aspect called the rough tubercle
3. Posterior arch:
• Upper surface has a wide groove behind the lateral
masses
• Posterior tubercle: small tubercle at the posterior part.
It represents spinous process.
Attachments:
4. Transverse processes:
• Quite long and strong
• Ends laterally in a tubercle
Attachments:
Axis (2nd cervical vertebrae)
• Distinguishing point:
• Presence of odontoid process (dens)
1. Odontoid process:
• Strong tooth like process projecting from superior surface of the
body.
• Half inch long
• Represents the body of the atlas
• Acts as a pivot around which atlas rotates
Attachment:
2. Body:
• the odontoid process arises from the superior surface
• On the lateral side of the upper surace a large circular facet is
present which articulates with the inferior facet of the lateral
mass of atlas
3. laminae:
• Thickest and strongest of all c.v
• Gives attachment to ligamentum flava
4. spine:
• Large and very strong
Attachment:
• Very small
Attachment:
seventh cervical vertebrae
• Called vertebra prominence because of its long and
thick prominent spinous process
1. spine:
• Long, thick, horizontal
• Not bifurcated, ends behind in a tubercle
Attachment:
• Big size
• Foramen transversarium is relatively small
• F.T may be double or absent
• Transversed by accessory vertebral vein
Attachment:

Anatomical Terms Used in Description of Bones

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Anatomical Terms Used In Description of

1. Foramen: an opening or a hole in a bone

• B. The facial skeleton consists of

 Its post part and the adjoining area gives origin of

B. Internal Surface: Concave in outline.

B. Medial (int surface)

4. Medial pterigoid is inserted below & behind the

1. Head of Mandible: thick and expanded upper part.

Vertebral (neural ) arch:

Arch is connected to the body by the pedicles.

• Distinguishing features of vertebrae:

Characteristics of typical vertebrae:

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