Nerves of the Palate

• The sensory nerves of the palate, which are branches of the pterygopalatine ganglion, are the greater and lesser palatine nerves.
• They accompany the arteries through the greater and lesser palatine foramina, respectively.

• The greater palatine nerve supplies the gingivae, mucous membrane, and glands of the hard palate.

• The lesser palatine nerve supplies the soft palate.

• Another branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion, the nasopalatine nerve, emerges from the incisive foramen and supplies the mucous membrane of the anterior part of the hard palate.

->The two parietal bones (L. paries, wall) form large parts of the walls of the calvaria.
->On the outside of these smooth convex bones, there are slight elevations near the centre called parietal eminences.
->The middle of the lateral surfaces of the parietal bones is crossed by two curved lines, the superior and inferior temporal lines.
->The superior temporal line indicates an attachment of the temporal fascia; the inferior temporal line marks the superior limit of the temporalis muscle.
->The parietal bones articulate with each other in the median plane at the sagittal suture. The medial plane of the body passes through the sagittal suture.
->The inverted V-shaped suture between the parietal bones and the occipital bones is called the lambdoid suture because of its resemblance to the letter lambda in the Greek alphabet.
->The point where the parietal and occipital bones join is a useful reference point called the lambda. It can be felt as a depression in some people.
->In addition to articulation with each other and the frontal and occipital bones, the parietal bones articulate with the temporal bones and the greater wings of the sphenoid bone.
->In foetal and infant skulls, the bones of the calvaria are separated by dense connective tissue membranes at sutures.
->The large fibrous area where several sutures meet are called fonticuli or fontanelles.
->The softness of these bones and looseness of their connections at these sutures enable the calvaria to undergo changes of shape during birth called molding. Within a day or so after birth, the shape of the infant’s calvaria returns to normal.
->The loose construction of the new-born calvaria also allows the skull to enlarge and undergo remodelling during infancy and childhood.

->Relationships between the various bones are constantly changing during the active growth period.
->The increase in the size of the cranium is greatest during the first 2 years, the period of most rapid postnatal growth of the brain.
->The cranium normally increases in capacity until about 15 or 16 years of age; thereafter the cranium usually increases only slightly in size as its bones thicken for 3 to 4 years.

• This is the second cranial nerve (CN II) and is the nerve of sight.

->The sides and base of the skull are formed partly by these bones.
->Each bone consists of four morphologically distinct parts that fuse during development (squamous, petromastoid, and tympanic parts and the styloid process).
->The flat squamous part is external to the lateral surface of the temporal lobe of the brain.
->The petromastoid part encloses the internal ear and mastoid cells and forms part of the base of the skull.
->The tympanic part contains the bony passage from the auricle (external ear), called the external acoustic meatus. The petromastoid part also forms a portion of the bony wall of the tympanic cavity (middle ear). The meatus and tympanic cavity are concerned with the transmission of sound waves.
->The slender, pointed styloid process of the temporal bone gives attachment to certain ligaments and muscles (e.g., the stylohyoid muscle that elevates the hyoid bone).
->The temporal bone articulates at sutures with the parietal, occipital, sphenoid, and zygomatic bones.
->The zygomatic process of the temporal bone unites with the temporal process of the zygomatic bone to form the zygomatic arch. The zygomatic arches form the widest part of the face.
->The head of the mandible articulates with the mandibular fossa on the inferior surface of the zygomatic process of the temporal bone.
->Anterior to the mandibular fossa is the articular tubercle.
->Because the zygomatic arches are the widest parts of the face and are such prominent facial features, they are commonly fractured and depressed. A fracture of the temporal process of the zygomatic bone would likely involve the lateral wall of the orbit and could injure the eye.

The Medial Wall of the Orbit 

• This wall is paper-thin and is formed by the orbital lamina or lamina papyracea of the ethmoid bone, along with contributions from the frontal, lacrimal, and sphenoid bones (L. papyraceus, "made of papyrus" or parchment paper).

• There is a vertical lacrimal groove in the medial wall, which is formed anteriorly by the maxilla and posteriorly by the lacrimal bone.
• It forms a fossa for the lacrimal sac and the adjacent part of the nasolacrimal duct.

• Along the suture between the ethmoid and frontal bones are two small foramina; the anterior and posterior ethmoidal foramina.
• These transmit nerves and vessels of the same name.

Nerves of the Face

Innervation of the Muscles of Facial Expression

The Facial Nerve (CN VII)

• The seventh cranial nerve supplies the superficial muscle of the neck (platysma), the muscles of facial expression, the auricular muscles and the scalp muscles.
• CN VII is the sole motor supply to the muscles of facial expression.

• The facial nerve emerges from the skull though the stylomastoid foramen.
• Almost immediately, it enters the parotid gland. It runs superficially in this gland before giving rise to its five terminal branches: temporal, zygomatic, buccal, marginal mandibular, and cervical.
• These nerve emerge from the superior, anterior and inferior margins of the gland and spread out like the abducted digits of the hand to supply the muscles of facial expression.

• The temporal branches of CN VII cross the zygomatic arch to supply all the superficial facial muscles superior to it, including the orbital and forehead muscles.

• The zygomatic branch of CN VII passes transversely over the zygomatic bone to supply the muscles in the zygomatic, orbital and infraorbital regions.

• The buccal branches of CN VII pass horizontally, external to the masseter muscle, to supply the buccinator and the muscles of the upper lip.

• The marginal mandibular branch of CN VII supplies the muscles of the lower lip and chin.

• The cervical branch of CN VII supplies the platysma and the superficial muscles of the neck.