Page 120 - My FlipBook

130 A^\iTOMY. ;
while the spinous foramen transmits the middle meningeal artery. The
Inferior Dental Foramen is situated in the inferior maxillary bone, and
transmits the inferior dental vessels and nerve, while between the zygo-
matic arch and the infratemporal ridge is the temporo-zygomatic strait,
joining it with the temporal fossa.
The zygomatic fossa accommodates the tendon and lower portion of
the temporal muscle, the external and internal pterygoid muscles, the
inferior maxillary nerve and its bi'anches, and, linally, the internal max-
illary artery, passing through and giving off branches as it extends
inward and forward into the pterygo-maxillary fissure.
The Spheno-maxillari/ Foma is a triangular space bounded behind by
the upper portion of the anterior surface of the pterygoid process ; in
front by the internal portion of the zygomatic surface of the superior
maxilla and a portion of the palate bone ; above by the under surface
of the body of the sphenoid bone and the orbital process of the palate
bone; and internally by the perpendicular plate of the palate bone,
which separates this fossa from tire nasal chambers.
This fossa lodges the spheno-palatine (INIeckel's) ganglion and the
terminal end of the inferior maxillary artery. Opening into it are the
pterygo-maxillary and spheno-maxillarv fissures and five foramina—the
anterior lacerated, the rotund, the Vidian, the pterygo-palatine, and the
spheno-palatine.
The Pterygo-maxillary Fissure extends vertically between the superior
maxilla and the pterygoid ]3rocess of the sphenoid bone. It is wider
above than below, and comnnniicates with the zygomatic fossa, trans-
mitting the internal maxillary artery and vein.
The Sphe)io-maxill((ry Fissure extends nearly horizontally outward
and forward from the body of the sphenoid bone at an angle of about
forty-five degrees. Its posterior boundary is formed by the inferior
border of the orbital surface of the great wing of the sphenoid bone
its anterior boundary is formed by the angle between the orbital and
zygomatic surfaces of the superior maxilla and a portion of the orbital
process of the palate bone. Externally it is bounded by a smooth notch
in tlie orbital process of the malar bone, and internally by the body of
the sphenoid bone.
This fissure extends between the orbit and the spheno-maxillary and
pterygo-maxillary fossa, and transmits the superior maxillary division
of the fifth nerve, the infraorbital artery and vein, and the ascending
branches of the spheno-palatine (Meckel's) ganglion.
J'/ie Pterygo-palatine Foramen is situated between the pterygoid
process of the s|)hen<>id bone and the jiosterior border of the horizontal
plate of the palate bono. This foramen opens into a canal, the posterior
palatine, which passes directly downward, opening into the roof of the
mouth at the ])osterior lateral angle of the hard ]>alate.
Occasi(jnally there will be fi)und in this locality two or more acces-
sory palatine canals, which give passage to branches of nerves from the
spheno-palatine ganglion to the hard and soft palate. These canals also
transnnt vessels to the roof of the mouth.
The Spheno-palatine Foramen is situated between the sujierior bor-
der of the perpendicular plate of the palate bone and the under surface