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AnatomyHead and neckSkull
Mandible

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Mandible

Learning objectives

After completing this study unit you will be able to:

  1. Identify the two main parts of the mandible.
  2. Name the bony features of the mandible.

Watch videos

The mandible is the largest bone of the human head. It is the only mobile bone of the skull (not including the auditory ossicles). The mandible is technically not part of the viscerocranium, however is sometimes still considered as such by some texts. It connects to the maxilla (part of the viscerocranium) via the teeth when the jaw is closed, and with the temporal bone (part of the neurocranium) via the temporomandibular joint. Due to its mobility, the prime function of the mandible is to assist in mastication.

This video tutorial will provide you with an overview of the mandible.

Take a quiz

Now that you have watched the video on the mandible, solidify your knowledge by taking our quiz.

To shift your focus and choose the topics you’ll get quizzed on, try out our customizable quiz:

Custom quiz: Bones of the skull For a broader topic focus, try this customizable quiz.

Browse atlas

Now you can look at each part of the mandible in more detail with our image gallery.

Mandible
Mandibula
1/27
Synonyms: Os mandibulare

Summary

Key facts about the mandible
Main parts Body, ramus
Articulations Maxilla (via teeth), temporal bone (via temporomandibular joint)
Bony features Body: mental protuberance, mental tubercle, mental foramen, oblique line of mandible, sublingual fossa, mylohyoid line, submandibular fossa, mental spines, digastric fossa, alveolar part, interalveolar septa
Ramus: coronoid process, mandibular notch, condylar process, head of mandible, neck of mandible, pterygoid fovea, pterygoid tuberosity, masseteric tuberosity, angle of mandible, inferior alveolar foramen, lingula, mylohyoid groove
Main function Mastication

Well done!

Related articles

Mandible Read article
Temporomandibular joint Read article

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