Anatomy of Mandible

Anatomy of Mandible

[Plate 17, Mandible]

• Unpaired bone of lower jaw
• Largest and strongest bone in face
• Articulates with temporal bone at temporomandibular joint
• Consists of
  • Body Anatomy of Mandible
    • Can be divided into lower base and upper alveolar part
    • Has a mental protuberance anteriorly and inferiorly where two sides come together
    • Mental spine: rough projection on inner surface of body in the midline
    • Mental foramen below second premolar transmits terminal branch of inferior alveolar nerve to supply skin and mucus membrane of lower lip and chin
    • Mylohyoid line: a ridge extending upward and backward on internal surface of alveolar part of mandible for attachment mylohyoid muscle
    • Submandibular fossa: long depression below mylohyoid line, which accommodates submandibular gland
    • Sublingual fossa: concavities on either side of mental spine for sublingual gland
  • Rami
    • Lateral vertical projections from body
    • Each meets body inferiorly at angle of the jaw
    • Two processes at superior end: coronoid process and condylar process
    • Coronoid process-attachment of temporalis muscle
    • Condylar process-part of temporomandibular joint
    • Mandibular notch-concavity between condylar and coronoid processes
    • Mandibular foramen
      • On inner surface of ramus
      • Entrance to mandibular canal, through which passes the inferior alveolar nerve
    • Lingula-thin projection of bone overlapping mandibular foramen
    • Mylohyoid groove-groove leading anteriorly and inferiorly from mandibular foramen indicating course of mylohyoid nerve and vessels