The facial muscles control facial expression and are innervated by the facial nerve (CN VII). The main muscles include: Occipitofrontalis: the occipitalis and frontalis muscles are sometimes collectively referred to as the occipitofrontalis as they are joined by an aponeurosis across the skull. They draw back the scalp and lift the eyebrows. Orbicularis oculi: wraps around the orbit and mediates blinking. Orbicularis oris: wraps around … Continue reading Facial muscles

The facial skeleton (or vicerocranium) underlies the face and consists of 14 of the 22 skull bones. These bones form the oral and nasal cavities plus inferior portion of the orbit and include the maxillae (x2), vomer, mandible, inferior nasal conchae (x2) as well as the nasal, lacrimal, palatine and zygomatic bones (all x2). Inferiorly, the mandible is the only skull bone not connected to the … Continue reading Facial skeleton

Each roughly diamond-shaped zygomatic bone forms the anterolateral edge of their respective bony orbit. They are composed of the frontal, maxillary and temporal processes which articulate with the corresponding skull bones. In particular, the temporal process joins the zygomatic process of the temporal bone to form the zygomatic arch. Continue reading Zygomatic bones

The paired maxillae primarily contribute to the nasal cavity and roof of the mouth. Each contain a maxillary sinus (one of the paranasal sinuses) that drains into the middle meatus. The bone has four processes: frontal process: articulates with the frontal bone and forms anterolateral sides of the nasal cavity plus anteromedial edges of the bony orbit alveolar process: a thickened ridge on the inferior … Continue reading Maxilla