216 THE ARTICULATIONS 



of the condyle. Fatty and ceUular tissue separate it from the spheno-mandibular ligament 

 which is medial to it. 



The articular disc (fig. 258) is an oval plate of fibro-cartilage interposed between 

 and adapted to the two articular surfaces. It is thinner at the centre than at the 

 circumference, and is thicker behind, where it covers the thm bone at the bottom 

 of the mandibular fossa which separates it from the dura mater, than m front, 

 where it covers the articular eminence. 



Fig. 256.— Lateral View of the Mandibular Joint. 



Tempore mandibular 

 ligament 



mandibular ligament 



Fig. 257.— Medial View of the Mandibular Joint. 



Medial portion 

 of capsule 



Spheno-mandibular 

 ligament 



Stylo-mandibular 

 ligament 



Stylo-hyoid 

 ligament 



Its inferior surface is concave and fits on to the condyle of the lower jaw; while its superior 

 surA is concavo-convex from before backward, and is in contact with ^}l^^X\Ttocl'^Ik>l 

 of the temporal bone. It divides the joint int.. two separate synovial ^f^.^^^^^^^' ^^* i^^Jf^X 

 ally perforated in the centre, and thus allows th(>iu to communicate. It is connected with the 

 articukr capsule at its circumference, and has some fibres of the exlernalipterygotd muscle 

 inserted into its anterior margin. 



There are usually two synovial membranes (fig. 258), the superior being the 

 larger and looser, passing down from tlu^ margin of the articular surface above, to 

 the upper surface of the articular disc below; the lower and smaller one passes. 



