The temporal fossa is a
fossa (shallow depression) on the side of the
skull
The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, facial bones, ear ossicles and hyoid bone. However two parts are more prominent: the cranium and the mandible. In humans, th ...
bounded by the
temporal lines and terminating below the level of the
zygomatic arch
In anatomy, the zygomatic arch, or cheek bone, is a part of the skull formed by the zygomatic process of the temporal bone (a bone extending forward from the side of the skull, over the opening of the ear) and the temporal process of the zygomat ...
.
Boundaries
* Medial:
frontal bone
The frontal bone is a bone in the human skull. The bone consists of two portions.''Gray's Anatomy'' (1918) These are the vertically oriented squamous part, and the horizontally oriented orbital part, making up the bony part of the forehead, part ...
,
parietal bone
The parietal bones () are two bones in the skull which, when joined at a fibrous joint, form the sides and roof of the cranium. In humans, each bone is roughly quadrilateral in form, and has two surfaces, four borders, and four angles. It is named ...
,
temporal bone
The temporal bones are situated at the sides and base of the skull, and lateral to the temporal lobes of the cerebral cortex.
The temporal bones are overlaid by the sides of the head known as the temples, and house the structures of the ears. T ...
, and
sphenoid bone
The sphenoid bone is an unpaired bone of the neurocranium. It is situated in the middle of the skull towards the front, in front of the basilar part of the occipital bone. The sphenoid bone is one of the seven bones that articulate to form the o ...
.
* Lateral: Temporal fascia
* Anterior: Posterior surface of the frontal process of the zygomatic bone and the posterior surface of the zygomatic process of the frontal bone.
* Superior: Pair of temporal lines (superior and inferior temporal lines) that arch across the skull from the zygomatic process of the frontal bone to the supramastoid crest of the temporal bone
* Inferior:
Zygomatic arch
In anatomy, the zygomatic arch, or cheek bone, is a part of the skull formed by the zygomatic process of the temporal bone (a bone extending forward from the side of the skull, over the opening of the ear) and the temporal process of the zygomat ...
laterally and by the infratemporal crest of the greater wing of the sphenoid medially.
Temporal & Infratemporal Fossa
* Osteology
* Temporal fossa, boundaries & contents
*
Infratemporal fossa, boundaries & contents
*
Muscles of mastication
There are four classical muscles of mastication. During mastication, three muscles of mastication (''musculi masticatorii'') are responsible for adduction of the jaw, and one (the lateral pterygoid) helps to abduct it. All four move the jaw late ...
*
Maxillary artery
The maxillary artery supplies deep structures of the face. It branches from the external carotid artery just deep to the neck of the mandible.
Structure
The maxillary artery, the larger of the two terminal branches of the external carotid artery, ...
*
Pterygoid venous plexus
*
Mandibular nerve
In neuroanatomy, the mandibular nerve (V) is the largest of the three divisions of the trigeminal nerve, the fifth cranial nerve (CN V). Unlike the other divisions of the trigeminal nerve (ophthalmic nerve, maxillary nerve) which contain only af ...
*
Temporomandibular Joint
In anatomy, the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are the two joints connecting the jawbone to the skull. It is a bilateral synovial articulation between the temporal bone of the skull above and the mandible below; it is from these bones that it ...
Contents
*
Temporalis muscle
In anatomy, the temporalis muscle, also known as the temporal muscle, is one of the muscles of mastication (chewing). It is a broad, fan-shaped convergent muscle on each side of the head that fills the temporal fossa, superior to the zygomatic a ...
*
Deep temporal arteries
The deep temporal arteries are two arteries of the head. They ascend between the temporalis muscle and the pericranium. They anastomose with the middle temporal artery, among other vessels. They supply the temporalis muscle.
Structure
The de ...
*
Deep temporal nerves
The deep temporal nerves are two branches of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve that innervate the temporalis.
Structure
The deep temporal nerves are usually two in number and termed the anterior deep temporal nerve and posterior deep ...
*
Superficial temporal artery
In human anatomy, the superficial temporal artery is a major artery of the head. It arises from the external carotid artery when it splits into the superficial temporal artery and maxillary artery.
Its pulse can be felt above the zygomatic a ...
(from
external carotid
The external carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. It arises from the common carotid artery when it splits into the external and internal carotid artery. External carotid artery supplies blood to the face and neck.
Structure
Th ...
)
*
Zygomaticotemporal nerve
The zygomaticotemporal nerve (zygomaticotemporal branch, temporal branch) is a small nerve of the face. It is derived from the zygomatic nerve, a branch of the maxillary nerve (CN V2). It is distributed to the skin of the side of the forehead. It ...
Clinical significance
The
pterion
The pterion is the region where the frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid bones join. It is located on the side of the skull, just behind the temple.
Structure
The pterion is located in the temporal fossa, approximately 2.6 cm be ...
is located in the temporal fossa, Clinically the pterion is an important area because it overlies the anterior division of the middle meningeal artery and vein. Trauma in this region can lead to an extradural haematoma, which can result in herniation of brain tissue and ischemia.
Additional images
File:Temporal fossa.jpg, Temporal fossa
External links
Skull
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