The anterior nasal spine, or anterior nasal spine of maxilla, is a bony projection in the skull that serves as a
cephalometric landmark.
The anterior nasal spine is the projection formed by the fusion of the two
maxillary bones at the intermaxillary suture. It is placed at the level of the
nostril
A nostril (or naris , : nares ) is either of the two orifices of the nose. They enable the entry and exit of air and other gasses through the nasal cavities. In birds and mammals, they contain branched bones or cartilages called turbinates ...
s, at the uppermost part of the
philtrum
The philtrum (, from Ancient Greek , lit. 'love charm') or medial cleft is a vertical indentation in the middle area of the upper lip, common to therian mammals, extending in humans from the nasal septum to the tubercle of the upper lip. Toget ...
. It rarely fractures.
Additional images
File:Anterior nasal spine of maxilla - animation02.gif, Animation. Anterior nasal spine shown in red.
File:Anterior nasal spine of maxilla - animation00.gif, Left maxilla. Anterior nasal spine shown in red.
File:Anterior nasal spine of maxilla - skull - anterior view.png, Skull. Anterior view. Anterior nasal spine shown in red.
File:Slide12hhhh.JPG, Right maxilla. Anterior nasal spine labeled at center left.
See also
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Posterior nasal spine
The posterior nasal spine is part of the horizontal plate of the palatine bone of the skull. It is found at the medial end of its posterior border. It is paired with the corresponding palatine bone to form a solid spine. It is the attachment of t ...
References
External links
Diagram at upstate.edu - sideDiagram at upstate.edu - front* - "Osteology of the Skull: The Maxilla"
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Bones of the head and neck
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