The lower jaw, the only movable bone of the skull and the largest facial bone.
Structure
The mandible is a single curved bone with a horizontal body and two ascending rami. Each ramus ends in a coronoid process where the temporalis muscle attaches and a condylar process that forms the joint with the temporal bone.
Joint
The temporomandibular joint allows hinge and gliding movements. A fibrocartilage disc sits between the condyle and the temporal bone, distributing load during chewing.
Muscles
The masseter, temporalis, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid muscles elevate, retract, and protrude the mandible. The hyoid muscles below assist in opening the jaw.
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Mandible starts with M and ends with E. Browse other body parts along the same letter.
Body Parts that contain a letter from "Mandible":