Mandible or Jaw Bone - Lateral or Side View
The word mandible comes from the latin word mandibula, meaning to chew.
The mandible is "U" shaped, stretching from one ear, down forming the chin, and then back up to the other ear. It is connected to the upper part of the skull by two jaw joints called the tempero mandibular joints. Try this experiment. Hold your fingers just below each ear. Open and close your jaw. You should be able to feel these joints moving.
There are four main parts to the mandible. The Mandible Body is the middle "U" shaped section that holds the lower teeth. The two Ramus form the sides of the lower jaw. The Ramus on each side of the jaw join with the Condyles and the Coronoid Processes. The Condyle forms a movable joint between the mandible and the cranium part of the skull. The Coronoid Process is connected to the cranium via chewing muscles allowing the jaw to open and close.
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