Mandible
The following is a list of structures that should be identified
on a mandible:
Body - horizontal
segment of the mandible
Angle - junction
of the body and ramus
Ramus - vertical
segment of the mandible
Coronoid Process
- insertion point of the temporalis muscle
Condylar Process
- TMJ articulation of the mandible, TMJ disk attachment at the head to
the medial and lateral poles
Medial Pole
Lateral Pole
Mandibular Notch
- area between the coronoid and condylar processes which transmits the
masseteric artery and nerve from the infratemporal fossa to the masseter
muscle
Submandibular Fossa
- a depression on the inferior medial posterior surface for the submandibular
salivary gland
Mental Spines (Genial Tubercles)
- two sets located on the anterior medial surface
Superior
- origin of genioglossus muscle
Inferior -
origin of geniohyoid muscle
Sublingual Fossa -
a depression on the inferior medial anterior surface for the sublingual
salivary gland
Digastric Fossa -
attachment for the anterior belly of the digastric on the anterior medial
inferior surface
Pterygoid Fovea -
insertion point of the lateral pterygoid muscle on the medial surface of
the neck of the condyle
Mandibular Foramen
- opening on the medial surface of the ramus for transmitting the inferior
alveolar artery and nerve
Lingula - attachment
point for the sphenomandibular ligament at the level of the mandibular
foramen
Oblique Line - located
on the superior lateral surface of the body
Mylohyoid Line -
origin for the mylohyoid muscle on the medial surface of the body
Mental Foramen -
foramen for the transmission of the mental nerve (cutaneous to the lower
third of the face) and artery
The mandible is the body support for the mandibular teeth
and is also the insertion for the four primary muscles of mastication and
the accessory muscles of mastication. It is the movable portion of
the TMJ articulation with the temporal bone