Mandible facts for kids

Bone: Mandible

Mandible. Outer surface. Side view

Mandible. Inner surface. Side view
Latin	mandibula
Gray's	subject #44 172
Precursor	1st branchial arch
MeSH	Mandible

The mandible is a bone found in all jawed vertebrates. The name comes from Latin mandibula.

In bony fish the lower jaw is made of a number of bones, but these were gradually reduced in evolution.

In humans and other mammals the mandible is simply the jawbone or dentary, which is the largest and strongest bone of the face.

In mammals bones formerly in the lower jaw have become the ear ossicles.

Images for kids

Mandible, lateral surface, side view
Mandible, medial surface, side view
Body and ramus of the mandible. The mandibular foramen is labeled on the right. The lingula is just above the mandibular foramen.
A panoramic radiograph reveals the mandible, including the heads and necks of the mandibular condyles, the coronoid processes of the mandible, as well as the nasal antrum and the maxillary sinuses.
The medial and lateral pterygoid muscles; the zygomatic arch and a portion of the ramus of the mandible have been removed
$Mandbular fractures$

Frequency by location
Figure 3: Mandible of human embryo 24 mm. long. Outer aspect.
Figure 4: Mandible of human embryo 24 mm. long. Inner aspect.
Figure 5: Mandible of human embryo 95 mm. long. Outer aspect. Nuclei of cartilage stippled.
Figure 5: Mandible of human embryo 95 mm. long. Inner aspect. Nuclei of cartilage stippled.
Newborn
Childhood
Adult
Old age
Lateral view
Alveolar process