Temporal Surface Of The Frontal Bone, Lateral View

Description

Frontal bone temporal surface occupies the anterolateral aspect of the calvaria, forming the anterior wall of the temporal fossa in a fixed lateral view. Superiorly, the temporal lines arc posteriorly across the frontal squama, marking the superior limit of temporalis fascia attachment, while the smooth concavity below them provides a broad origin area for the temporalis muscle. Inferiorly and anteriorly, the zygomatic process of the frontal bone projects toward the zygomatic bone at the frontozygomatic suture, and posteriorly this region approaches the pterion, where frontal, parietal, sphenoid (greater wing), and temporal bones meet. Temporal fossa anatomy matters because fractures and surgical entry points cluster around this thin anterolateral skull. At the pterion, the bone is often at its thinnest, and trauma here is classically associated with epidural hematoma due to laceration of the middle meningeal artery, a relationship that is easier to teach when the bony sutural context is unambiguous. Temporal lines are not decoration. They guide interpretation of temporalis muscle bulk on CT and help orient bicoronal and pterional craniotomy planning by linking the frontal squama to the lateral orbital rim and zygomatic process within a single field. Neurosurgery and emergency medicine texts can pair this illustration with scalp layers and meningeal vasculature to explain why a lateral blow to the temple demands careful neuroimaging. In dental, maxillofacial, and head and neck anatomy courses, the same view supports teaching of the temporal fossa boundaries, the frontozygomatic region, and surface landmarks used for regional blocks and incisions. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.