FACE. 



maxilla ; this diameter also diminishes both 

 above and below, but more especially below, 

 where it comprises merely the thickness of 

 the mental portion of the lower jaw. 



The bones which form the upper jaw are 

 united with those of the cranium above by a 

 very irregular surface; below they are on a 

 level with the occ-ipital foramen, and hence 

 that part of the face which descends below 

 the cranium is formed exclusively by the lower 

 jaw. 



The area of the face, as presented by a 

 vertical longitudinal section of the skull, is 

 of a triangular figure, and forms (the lower 

 jaw excepted) in the European about one- 

 fifth of the whole area of the skull ; in the 

 Negro the area of the face increases in propor- 

 tion, and forms two-fifths of the whole. 



The bones of the face form, when united, 

 a pyramid with four irregular surfaces or 

 regions, and presenting a base above, which 

 is connected with the cranium, an apex below 

 at the chin. 



The anterior surface or facial region presents 

 many varieties of form and proportion in 

 different individuals, as well as others more 

 important, which characterise the various races of 

 mankind : (see the article MAN.) This region 

 is bounded above by the lower border of the 

 frontal bone, extended between its two external 

 angular processes : laterally it is limited by 

 lines drawn from these processes to the anterior 

 inferior angles of the malar bones : below this 

 it follows the curve of the malar ridge of the 

 upper maxilla, and it terminates at the outer 

 extremity of the base of the lower jaw. This 

 surface presents from above downwards along 

 the median line, the fronto-nasal suture, which 

 is continued laterally into the fronto-maxillary 

 and fronto-ethmoidal sutures, all contributing 

 to form the common transverse facial suture 

 which unites the bones of the cranium and 

 face. Below the fronto-nasal suture the nasal 

 bones, united by the nasal suture, form the 

 prominent arch of the nose in conjunction 

 with the nasal processes of the upper maxillary 

 bones, with which the ossa nasi articulate on 

 each side by the naso-maxillary suture. Below 

 the nasal bones is the anterior orifice of the 

 nasal fossae, of a pyriform shape, narrow above, 

 broad inferiorly, where it terminates in the 

 projecting anterior nasal spine : the margins 

 of this orifice are sharp, and are formed by 

 the nasal and upper maxillary bones. Below 

 the nasal spine is the intermaxillary suture, 

 which terminates on the alveolar border of the 

 upper jaw between the middle incisor teeth : 

 on each side of this suture is the myrtiform 

 fossa. On the lower jaw is observed, in the 

 median line, the mental ridge and process, 

 and on each side of it a depression for muscles. 



The facial region presents from above down- 

 wards, on each side, the aperture or base 

 of the orbit, of a quadilateral form, and in- 

 clining from within outwards and a little back- 

 wards. The margin of this opening is formed 

 above by the supra-ciliary ridge of the frontal 

 bone, in which is observed the supra-orbitar 

 notch or foramen. At the outer extremity of 



this ridge is the fronto-jugal suture, uniting 

 the external angular process of the frontal 

 bone with the frontal process of the malar : 

 below this is the prominence of the cheek 

 and the curved orbitar border of the malar 

 bone, forming the outer and lower part of 

 the margin of the orbit. Internal to this we 

 find the short orbitar border of the upper 

 maxillary bone, which presents at its nasal 

 end the groove for the lachrymal sac. Below 

 the inferior border of the orbit is the infra- 

 orbitar foramen, to the outer side of which 

 is the oblique jngo-maxillary suture, and 

 below it the canine fossa, bounded exter- 

 nally by the malar ridge, in front by the 

 canine ridge and the anterior orifice of the 

 nose, and below by the alveolar border of 

 the jaw and by the teeth. On the lower jaw 

 we find the teeth, the alveolar ridges and 

 depressions, the mental foramen, and the ex- 

 ternal oblique line. 



The posterior or guttural surface consists 

 of three parts, two of which, the upper and 

 lower, are vertical ; the middle is horizontal. 

 The upper vertical portion presents along the 

 median line the oblique posterior border of 

 the vomer, which divides the posterior apertures 

 of the nasal fossae; above is the articulation 

 formed by the base of the vomer and the 

 sphenoid ; below is the posterior nasal spine 

 formed by the united palate bones. At the 

 sides of the vomer are the oval posterior 

 orifices of the nose, greatest in their vertical 

 diameter, and bounded superiorly by the 

 sphenoid and sphenoidal processes of the 

 palate bones, inferiorly by the palatine plates 

 of the same bones, internally by the vomer, 

 and externally by the pterygoid processes. On 

 the outside of these apertures are placed the 

 pterygoid fossae, formed by the pterygoid plates 

 of the sphenoid and by the pyramidal process 

 of the palate bone. External to these are the 

 large zygomatic fossae or spaces, which belong 

 to the lateral regions of the face. 



The horizontal portion of this surface is 

 oval, concave, rough, and forms the roof of 

 the mouth, consisting of the palatine plates 

 of the palate and upper maxillary bones, on 

 which is seen a crucial suture, formed by the 

 longitudinal and transverse palatine sutures. 

 At the posterior and outer angles of this hori- 

 zontal portion are situated the posterior palatine 

 canals and the grooves which proceed from 

 them along the roof of the mouth ; on the 

 inferior surface of the palate bones are ridges 

 and depressions for the attachment of muscles, 

 while behind the middle incisor teeth is placed 

 the anterior palatine foramen. At the sides 

 and in front the palatine arch is bounded by 

 the alveolar border and teeth of the upper 

 jaw, behind which descend the pterygoid pro- 

 cesses of the sphenoid and palate bones. 



The inferior vertical division of this region 

 is formed by the inner surface of the lower^jaw 

 and teeth ; it presents in front, along the 

 median line, the inner mental ridge, and the 

 genial processes ; external to these the internal 

 oblique lines, the sublingual and submaxillary 

 fossae, the superior dental foramen, its groove 



