Mandible

Mandible

The mandible, often referred to as the lower jaw bone, stands out as the most substantial and robust bone in the face. This singular bone serves crucial functions, such as forming the lower segment of the jaw and a portion of the mouth. For an in-depth understanding of its anatomical details, one can refer to the Gray's anatomy section on the mandible.

Chewing and the Mandible

Integral to the process of mastication (chewing), the mandible is distinguished as the only movable bone in the skull. Its movement is facilitated by various muscles that play essential roles in chewing, talking, and making various facial expressions. An interesting tidbit to note is the exceptional strength of the masseter muscle, recognized as the mightiest muscle relative to its weight. When all the jaw muscles operate in synergy, the force exerted can reach up to 55 pounds (25 kilograms) on the incisors and a staggering 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms) on the molars.

Holding the Bottom Teeth

An essential structural component of the mouth, the mandible, provides the foundation for the bottom teeth, ensuring their stability and alignment.

Other Names

In various contexts, the mandible might be referred to using different terminologies. One such commonly used name is the "lower jaw bone."

Temporomandibular Joint

A pivotal aspect of mandibular anatomy is the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This joint forms the connection between the mandible and the skull, specifically at the temporal bone. It is responsible for facilitating the diverse range of movements exhibited by the jaw.

Pathologies and Conditions

Various disorders and conditions can affect the mandible and the TMJ. These can range from developmental abnormalities to trauma-induced injuries and degenerative diseases.

• Overbite malocclusion in which the upper teeth extend abnormally far over the lower teeth
• Prognathism the condition of being prognathous; the condition of having a projecting jaw
• Malocclusion a condition in which the opposing teeth do not mesh normally

Mandible

Other disorders of the mandible

• Alveolar osteitis
• Brachygnathism
• Buccal exostosis
• Cavitation (bone)
• Condylar resorption
• Dentofacial deformity
• Dentomandibular sensorimotor dysfunction
• Garre's sclerosing osteomyelitis
• Gnathitis
• Jaw abnormality
• Jaw claudication
• Mandibular fracture
• Maxillary hypoplasia
• Medication related osteonecrosis of the jaw
• Micrognathism
• Odontogenic keratocyst
• Oral torus
• Osteomyelitis of the jaws
• Osteonecrosis of the jaw
• Osteoporotic bone marrow defect
• Osteoradionecrosis
• Retrognathism
• Segmental odontomaxillary dysplasia
• Stafne defect
• Torus mandibularis
• Torus palatinus

See Also

• Skull
• Face
• Oral anatomy
• Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)