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Joints and Ligaments of the Head and Neck - Listed Alphabetically |
| Joint or ligament |
Description |
Notes |
coronal suture
see image |
this is a dense, fibrous connective tissue joint that separates the frontal and parietal bones of the skull; |
a suture; at birth, the bones of the skull do not meet |
| intermaxillary suture |
this is a dense, fibrous connective tissue joint on the posterior aspect of the skull that connects the parietal and temporal bones with the occipital bone |
a suture; it is a midline feature of the hard palate and marks the line of fusion of the two palatine shelves (secondary palate) during development |
lambdoidal suture
see image |
the articulation between the occipital bone and the parietal bone. |
a suture |
| metopic suture |
the articulation between the two ossification centers of the frontal bone |
a suture; a midline structure, it usually disappears during development but is occasionally present in adults |
pterion
see image |
the articulation between four bones: the greater wing of the sphenoid bone, the frontal bone, the parietal bone, the squamous part of the temporal bone. |
a suture; this is a site of relatively thin bone that is frequently fractured in blows to the side of the head; the middle meningeal a. is located deep to this site and may be injured in skull fractures at this location, leading to epidural hematoma |
sagittal suture
see image |
the articulation between the two parietal bones. |
a suture; it is a midline structure that lies superficial to the superior sagittal venous sinus |
| sphenomandibular ligament |
the ligament that attaches to the spine of the sphenoid bone superiorly and the lingula of the mandible inferiorly |
paired; it is a specialization of the pterygoid fascia and is a remnant of the mesenchymal core of the first pharyngeal arch (Meckel's cartilage) |
squamosal suture
see image |
the articulation between the parietal bone and the squamous portion of the temporal bone. |
a suture; the greater wing of the sphenoid bone participates in the formation of the anterior end of the squamosal suture |
stylohyoid ligament
see image |
the ligament that connects the styloid process with the lesser horn of the hyoid bone. |
a syndesmosis; paired; a remnant of the mesenchymal core of the second pharyngeal arch (Reichert's cartilage) |
stylomandibular ligament
see image |
the ligament that connects the styloid process with the angle of the mandible. |
paired; a thickening of the parotid fascia |
temporomandibular joint
see image |
the articulation between the head of the condylar process of the mandible and the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone. |
a synovial hinge joint; it is separated into two joint spaces by an intracapsular fibrous articular disc; gliding action occurs superior to the articular disc and hinge action occurs inferior to the disc |
