FACE
The face is the area from the superciliary arches supe- riorly to the lower margin of the mandible inferiorly and to the auricles laterally. It contains the orbits, nose, mouth, and ears and therefore houses the interfaces for vision, respiration, olfaction, taste, food process- ing, vocalization, and hearing between the internal and external environments. Further, the face is critical for individual identity, and facial expression is a highly evolved means of nonvocal communication.
Facial Skeleton
The bones that form the front of the skull are (also see the earlier discussion of the anterior and lateral views of the skull). The superior orbital margins and the area above them are formed by the frontal bone, which contains the frontal air sinuses. The lateral orbital margin is formed by the zygomatic bone, and the inferior orbital margin is formed by the zygomatic bone and the maxilla. The medial orbital margin is formed above by the maxillary process of the frontal bone and below by the frontal process of the maxilla.
The root of the nose is formed by the nasal bones, which articulate below with the maxilla and above with the frontal bones. Anteriorly, upper and lower plates of hyaline cartilage and small cartilages of the ala nasi complete the nose.
The important central bone of the middle third of the face is the maxilla, containing its teeth and the maxil- lary air sinus. The bone of the lower third of the face is the mandible, with its teeth.
The End
