-> This is a wedge-shaped bone (G. sphen, wedge) is located anteriorly to the temporal bones.
-> It is a key bone in the cranium because it articulates with eight bones (frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, vomer, zygomatic, palatine, and ethmoid).
-> It main parts are the body and the greater and lesser wings, which spread laterally from the body.
-> The superior surface of its body is shaped like a Turkish saddle (L. sella, a saddle); hence its name sella turcica.
-> It forms the hypophyseal fossa which contains the hypophysis cerebri or pituitary gland.
-> The sella turcica is bounded posteriorly by the dorsum sellae, a square plate of bone that projects superiorly and has a posterior clinoid process on each side.
-> Inside the body of the sphenoid bone, there are right and left sphenoid sinuses. The floor of the sella turcica forms the roof of these paranasal sinuses.
-> Studies of the sella turcica and hypophyseal fossa in radiographs or by other imaging techniques are important because they may reflect pathological changes such as a pituitary tumour or an aneurysm of the internal carotid artery. Decalcification of the dorsum sellae is one of the signs of a generalised increase in intracranial pressure.

The Submandibular Glands

• Each of these U-shaped salivary glands is about the size of a thumb and lies along the body of the mandible.
• It is partly superior and partly inferior to the posterior 1/2 of the base of the mandible.
• It is partly superficial and partly deep to the mylohyoid muscle.

• The submandibular duct arises from the portion of the gland that lies between the mylohyoid and hyoglossus muscle.

• The duct passes deep and then superficial to the lingual nerve.
• It opens by one to three orifices on a small sublingual papilla beside the lingual frenulum.

• The submandibular gland is supplied by parasympathetic, secretomotor fibres from the submandibular ganglion (preganglionic fibres from the chorda tympani via the lingual nerve).

Intramembranous ossification

• Flat bones develop in this way (bones of the skull)
• This type of bone development takes place in mesenchymal tissue
• Mesenchymal cells condense to form a primary ossification centre (blastema)
• Some of the condensed mesenchymal cells change to osteoprogenitor cells
• Osteoprogenitor cells change into osteoblasts which start to deposit bone
• As the osteoblasts deposit bone some of them become trapped in lacunae in the bone and then change into osteocytes
• Osteoblasts lie on the surface of the newly formed bone
• As more and more bone is deposited more and more osteocytes are formed from mesenchymal cells
• The bone that is formed is called a spicule
• This process takes place in many places simultaneously
• The spicules fuse to form trabeculae
• Blood vessels grow into the spaces between the trabeculae
• Mesenchymal cells in the spaces give rise to hemopoetic tissue
• This type of bone development forms the first phase in endochondral development
• It is also responsible for the growth of short bones and the thickening of long bones

• Articulations

  Classified according to their structure, composition,and movability
  •    Fibrous joints-surfaces of bones almost in direct contact with limited movement
      o    Syndesmosis-two bones united by interosseous ligaments
      o    Sutures-serrated margins of bones united by a thin layer of fibrous tissue
      o    Gomphosis-insertion of a cone-shaped process into a socket

  •    Cartilaginous joints-no joint cavity and contiguous bones united by cartilage
      o    Synchondrosis-ends of two bones approximated by hyaline cartilage
      o    Symphyses-approximating bone surfaces connected by fibrocartilage

  •    Synovial joints-approximating bone surfaces covered with cartilage; may be separated by a disk; attached by ligaments 
      o    Hinge-permits motion in one plane only
      o    Pivot-permits rotary movement in which a ring rotates around a central axis
      o    Saddle-opposing surfaces are convexconcave. allowing great freedom of motion
      o    Ball and socket - capable of movement in an infinite number of axes; rounded head of one bone moves in a cuplike cavity of the approximating bone

  Bursae
  •    Sacs filled with synovial fluid that are present where tendons rub against bone or where skjn rubs across bone
  •    Some bursae communicate with a joint cavity 
  •    Prominent bursae found at the elbow. hip, and knee'

  Movements
  •    Gliding
      o    Simplest kind of motion in a joint
      o    Movement on a joint that does not involve any angular or rotary motions
  •    Flexion-decreases the angle formed by the union of two bones
  •    Extension-increases the angle formed by the union of two bones
  •    Abduction-occurs by moving part of the appendicular skeleton away from the median plane of the body
  •    Adduction-occurs by moving part of the appendicular skeleton toward the median plane of the body
  •    Circumduction
      o    Occurs in ball-and-socket joints
      o    Circumscribes the conic space of one bone by the other bone
  •    Rotation-turning on an axis without being displaced from that axis
   

The Masseter Muscle

• This is a quadrangular muscle that covers the lateral aspect of the ramus and the coronoid process of the mandible.

• Origin: inferior border and medial surface of zygomatic arch.
• Insertion: lateral surface of ramus of mandible and its coronoid process.
• Innervation: mandibular nerve via masseteric nerve that enters its deep surface.

• It elevates and protrudes the mandible, closes the jaws and the deep fibres retrude it.

A. Anatomic position-erect body position with the arms at the sides and the palms  upward

B. Plane or section

1. Definition-imaginary flat surface formed by an extension through an axis

2. Median plane-a vertical plane. that divides a body into right and left halves

3. Sagittal plane

• Any plane parallel to the median plane
• Divides the body into right and left portions

4. Frontal plane

• Vertical plane that forms at right angles to the sagittal plane
• Divides the body into anterior and posterior sections
• Synonymous with the term coronal plane

5. Transverse plane

• Horizontal plane that forms at right angles to the sagittal and frontal planes
• Divides the body into upper and lower portions
• Synonymous with the term horizontal plane

C. Relative positions

1. Anterior

• Nearest the abdominal surface and the front of the body
• Synonymous with the term ventral
• In referring to hands and forearms, the terms palmar and Volar are used

2. Posterior

• Back of the body
• Synonymous with the term dorsal

3. Superior

• Upper or higher
• Synonymous with the term cranial (head)

4. Inferior

• Below or lower
• Synonymous with the term caudal (tail)
• In referring to the top of the foot and the sole of the foot. the terms dorsal and plantar are used respectively

5. Medial-near to the median plane

6. Lateral-farther away from the median plane

7. Proximal-near the source or attachment

8. Distal-away from the source or. attachment

9. Superficial-near the surface

10. Deep-away from the surface

11. Afferent-conducting toward a structure

12. Efferent-conducting away from a structure