Viscerocranium

Looks like

The facial skeleton: the bones in front of and below the braincase — jaws, cheekbones, nasal, lacrimal and palatine bones, conchae and vomer.

What it does

Frames the eyes, nose and mouth, holds the teeth and gives the face its shape.

Keeping it well

Facial fractures can affect eyesight, bite and breathing; a CT guides repair. Changes in bite after a blow to the face need a check.

Its parts

• Osseous skeleton of nose
• Skeleton of mouth

Related conditions

• Achondroplasia
• Acromegaly
• Brain abscess
• Fractures
• Fragility fracture
• Frailty & falls in older age
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease)
• Osteomalacia & rickets
• Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
• Osteoporosis
• Paget's disease of bone
• Sarcoma
• Traumatic brain injury (moderate to severe)
• Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies
• Vitamin D deficiency