Facial bones
To read about other bones of the head and neck, use the links on the left-side of this page.
The facial bones are a group of bones within the human head.
There are 14 facial bones including:
2 x Inferior Nasal Conchae
2 x Lacrimal Bones
1 x Mandible
2 x Maxillae (pl.); Maxilla (sing.)
2 x Nasal Bones
2 x Palatine Bones
1 x Vomer
2 x Zygomatic Bones.
These facial bones form the structure of the front and the front and sides of the head. The structure of the top, back, and sides of the head is formed by the cranial bones.
The individual shapes and personalising features of the facial (and cranial) bones contribute much of the static appearances of the face. This is especially important in archeological research because forensic pathologists and biologists can reconstruct the superficial appearance of a face merely from the human skull.
See notes about, and labelled diagrams of, all human cranial and facial bones on one page.
More about Bones and the Skeletal System:
This website includes many pages about bones and the skeletal system. The following pages may be of interest. These also link to further pages about related topics such as specific types of fractures, bone diseases and so on.
- Structures and Functions of Bones (an overview about the Skeletal System)
- Types of Bones, such as long bones, short bones, flat bones, etc.
- Bone Markings and Features on Bones of the Human Body
- Types of Joints, such as immoveable, slightly moveable and freely moveable joints
- Diagram of the Human Skeleton
- Overview of types of Conditions and Disorders of the Skeletal System
For further information see also our pages of books about orthopaedics.
