Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology
Published on: August 22, 2022
Osteomyelitis of the craniofacial skeleton
David J Pincus1, Milton B Armstrong, Seth R Thaller
1Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
Abstract:
Skull-based osteomyelitis, which is a true bony infection, originates from a chronic, inadequately treated infection. Because of the complex craniofacial skeletal anatomy and associated aesthetic concerns, osteomyelitis of the craniofacial skeleton must be uniquely managed and is more difficult to treat than osteomyelitis of other bones of the body. It is thought that osteomyelitis is decreasing in prevalence due to broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment; however, it still remains a challenging clinical entity in developing countries and lower socioeconomic areas.
Related Concept Videos
Overview of the Skull
The cranial vault surrounds and protects the brain and houses the middle and inner ear structures. This cavity is bounded superiorly by the rounded top of the skull, which...
Sutures of the Skull
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
Cranial Bones: Lateral View
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...
Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
Cranial and Spinal Meninges
Cranial Meninges
These meningeal layers cover the cranium. The dura mater is the outermost layer of cranial meninges. It is a thick and durable membrane of dense...
Cryptococcal Meningitis
