Massage Therapy Journal Spring 2026

Spring 2026 • 31

1. frontal bone 2. parietal bone

3. sphenoid bone 4. temporal bone 5. supraorbital foramen 6. ethmoid bone 7. lacrimal bone 8. zygomatic bone 9. infraorbital fora men 10. superior orbital fissure 11. optic canal 12. inferior orbital fissure 13. palatine bone 14. nasal bone 15. maxilla 16. perpendicular plate 17. middle nasal concha 18. inferior nasal concha 19. mental fora men 20. mandible 21. external acoustic meatus 22. occipital bone

The six paired facial bones are: • 2 nasal bones . Located at the bridge of the nose; articulate with the frontal, ethmoid and maxilla bones, as well as with each other. • 2 lacrimal bones . Located on the inside surface of the eye socket; articulate with the maxilla, ethmoid and frontal bone, and with the inferior nasal concha. • 2 palatine bones . Located at the back of the nasal cavity at the hard palate; articulate with the sphenoid, maxilla, ethmoid and vomer bones, as well as the inferior nasal concha and each other. • 2 inferior nasal conchae . Located at the top of the nasal cavity; articulate with the maxilla, palatine, lacrimal and ethmoid bones. • 2 zygomatic bones . Located at the upper cheek; articulate with the temporal, frontal, maxilla and sphenoid bones. • 2 maxilla bones (paired but fused). Located in the upper jaw; articulate with the highest number of other bones: the frontal, ethmoid, nasal, zygomatic, lacrimal, palatine and vomer bones, and with the inferior nasal concha and each other. The two single facial bones are: • 1 vomer bone . Located at the bottom of the nasal septum and above the hard palate;

articulates with the maxilla, palatine and ethmoid bones. • 1 mandible . Located in the lower jaw. Only articulates directly with its opposite partner at the chin; forms a synovial joint with the temporal fossa of the temporal bone (temporomandibular joint). The facial bones support different areas of the face and protect the soft tissues that lie underneath, such as your sinus and oral cavity and your eyes. The outer surfaces of the facial bones provide attachment sites for muscles and ligaments that allow us to produce a wide variety of facial expressions. It is our facial skeleton that supports the skin and mucus membranes. Cranial Bones . Cranial sutures (thick connective tissue) hold the cranium bones together and allow the brain to keep growing until the sutures fuse in adulthood. Ethmoid . Located behind the upper nasal cavity and in front of the brain. This bone is sometimes not included in the list of facial bones because it’s also part of the neurocranium. The ethmoid articulates with the frontal, sphenoid, nasal, maxilla, lacrimal, palatine and vomer bones, and with the inferior nasal concha.

The form of your face is due to the shape of your facial skeleton.

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