Human Skull
The human skull is the bony structure that forms the head in the human skeleton. It is made up of 22 bones, ligaments, and cartilage. The skull consists of three parts: the neurocranium, the sutures, and the facial skeleton, each part having different embryological origin. The neurocranium, also known as the braincase, encloses the brain and brainstem and protect the brain from injury. The upper regions of the cranial bones form the skullcap, or calvaria. The membranous viscerocranium consists of the mandible. The sutures forms the joints between neurocranial bones, while the facial skeleton consists of the supporting bones of the face.
At birth, the human skull consists of 44 separate bony structures. Initially, the bones of the skull’s roof are separated by dense connective tissue areas known as fontanelles. As development progresses, many of these bony elements gradually fuse into solid bone structures, such as the frontal bone.
What Are The 22 Bones Of The Skull?
Bones of the skull form the cavity of the brain and support the structure of the face. It consists of 22 bones, categorized into cranial and facial bones, along with the mandible and hyoid bones. The cranial bones are 8, and the facial bones are 14 in number, which shape the facial features. The skull forms the anterior-most portion of the skeleton, which includes both the brain and various sensory organs like the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
Table of Content
- Human Skull
- Skull Bone Anatomy
- Function of the Skull
- FAQs on Bones of Human Skull