Passage: 7.2 | The Skull By the end of this section, you will be able to: • List and identify the bones of the brain case and face • Locate the major suture lines of the skull and name the bones associated with each • Locate and define the boundaries of the anterior, middle, and posterior cranial fossae, the temporal fossa, and infratemporal fossa • Define the paranasal sinuses and identify the location of each • Name the bones that make up the walls of the orbit and identify the openings associated with the orbit • Identify the bones and structures that form the nasal septum and nasal conchae, and locate the hyoid bone • Identify the bony openings of the skull The cranium (skull) is the skeletal structure of the head that supports the face and protects the brain. It is subdivided into the facial bones and the brain case, or cranial vault (Figure 7.3). The facial bones underlie the facial structures, form the nasal cavity, enclose the eyeballs, and support the teeth of the upper and lower jaws. The rounded brain case surrounds and protects the brain and houses the middle and inner ear structures. In the adult, the skull consists of 22 individual bones, 21 of which are immobile and united into a single unit. The 22nd bone is the mandible (lower jaw), which is the only moveable bone of the skull. Answer: cranium (skull)
What is the term for the skeletal structure of the head that supports the face and protects the brain?