THE MALAR BOXES 



61 



liorizontal plates join. At birth the two plates are nearly equal, but as the nasal 

 sinuses increase in height the vertical plate is lengthened, until it becomes twice 

 the length of the horizontal plate. 



THE MALAR 



The malar bone, somewhat quadrilateral in shape, is situated at the outer and 

 upper part of the side of the face, and forms the prominence known as the cheek. 



Each bone has a convex external surface, presenting near the centre one or two 

 minute orifices for the transmission of the malar nerves and arteries. This surface 

 is largely covered by the orhkularh palpchrarvrn, and gives origin to the zygomaticus 

 major and minor. 



The internal surface is concave, and aljruptly excluded from the orl)it by a 

 prominent ledge of bone, the orbital process, which forms the anterior boundarv 

 of the temporal fossa. A large part of this surface is rough for articulation Avith 

 the malar process of the maxilla. The orbital process of the malar is at right 

 angles with the external surface, and presents the orbital orifice of the malar canal; 



Fig. 72. — The Lkft Malar Boxe. 



frontal process 



ORBITAL BORDER 



MALAR CANAL 



MAXILLARY PROCESS 



ANTERIOR BORDER 



POSTERIOR BORDER 



ZYGOMATIC PROCESS 



INFERIOR BORDER 



NOTCH FOR TEMPORAL NERVE 



FOR SPHENOID 

 MALAR CANAL 



ORBITAL PROCESS 



MALAR CANAL 

 MAXILLARY PROCESS 



MAXILLARY SURFACE 



this canal is usually single, but it may bifurcate as it traverses the bone, one 

 branch emerging on the external, the other on the internal surface. The thin edge 

 of this process articulates inferiorly with the orbital plate of the maxilla, and ends 

 in a point known as the maxillary process. The superior portion articulates with 

 the malar crest on the external surface of the greater wing of the sphenoid; in the 

 suture between these bones a notch (sometimes a foramen) exists for the temporal 

 branch of the fifth nerve. When the orbital surface is large, it excludes the 

 sphenoidal wing from articulation with the maxilla at the anterior extremity of the 

 spheno-maxillary fissure. AMien this is the case, the border presents near its 

 middle a short non-serrated margin. 



The malar bone presents superiorly the frontal process, wliich articulates with 

 the external angular process of the frontal bone. The maxillary process articu- 

 lates with the maxilla, and occasionally forms the superior segment of tlie infra- 

 orl)ital foramen. The zygomatic process is directed backwards, and is serrated 

 mainly on its inner aspect for articulation with the zygoma. 



Of the four borders, the orbital is the longest, and extends from the frontal 

 to the maxillary process. It is thick, rounded, and forms the anterior third of 



