Protect and support digestive and respiratory tracts
Floor of orbits Walls of nasal cavity Hard palate—roof of mouth
Posterior to hard palate
Forms part of nasal septum
Cheekbones
Bridge of nose
Orbits medial surface
Lateral nasal cavity Slows airflow
Lower Jaw Only moveable facial bone
U-Shaped Base for larynx muscles (voicebox), tongue and pharynx Stabilizes larynx “Adams Apple”
Fusion of bones not complete at birth Fontanels—soft spots Flexible Allows skull to expand with brain
AKA: Spine Cervical Vertebrae—7 C1-C7 Neck Region Thoracic Vertebrae—12 T1-T12 Articulates with ribs Lumbar Vertebrae—5 L1-L5 Lower Back Sacrum—5 fused vertebrae Coccyx--Tailbone
4 Spinal curves Primary curves—thoracic and sacral Appear late in fetal development Secondary curves—cervical and lumbar Appear months after birth Cervical—infant can hold up their head Lumbar—child can stand
Kyphosis—exaggerated thoracic curvature Lordosis—exaggerated lumbar curvature Scoliosis—abnormal lateral curvature
Vertebral body—massive, weight-bearing portion Intervertebral disc—lies between each vertebrae Vertebral canal—encloses spinal cord Intervertebral foramina—gaps that allow nerves to run off