3D CONTENT
3D OSTEOLOGY
3D VISCEROCRANIUM

LACRIMAL BONE ANATOMY

Author: Dr. Bogdan Leahu
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Lacrimal bone anatomy 360-degree interactive viewer showing posterior lacrimal crest, lacrimal groove, lacrimal hamulus, and position in medial orbital wall
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

  • Small paired cranial bone
  • Situated in anterior portion of medial orbital wall
  • Essential for orbital architecture
  • Contributes to lacrimal apparatus function
    • Involved in tear production
    • Involved in tear drainage

ARTICULATIONS

Disarticulated lacrimal bone 360-degree viewer showing articulations with frontal bone, ethmoid bone, maxilla, and inferior nasal concha
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Lacrimal Bone - Disarticulated View, Preview from the app. Download 3D OSTEOLOGY for full 3D control—multiple views, x-ray mode, and unlimited zoom.

  • Frontal bone
  • Ethmoid bone
  • Maxilla
  • Inferior nasal concha

SURFACE FEATURES

Posterior Lacrimal Crest

  • Vertical ridge on lateral surface
  • Provides attachment for lacrimal part of orbicularis oculi
  • Forms posterior boundary of lacrimal sac fossa
  • Participates in tear collection and drainage

Lacrimal Groove

  • Longitudinal depression
  • Located anterior to posterior lacrimal crest
  • Combines with lacrimal groove of maxilla
  • Together form the lacrimal fossa
  • Lacrimal fossa houses the lacrimal sac
  • Enables tear flow from ocular surface to nasolacrimal duct

Lacrimal Hamulus

  • Small hook-shaped projection
  • Located at inferior aspect of bone
  • Extends downward
  • Articulates with maxilla
  • Contributes to nasolacrimal canal formation

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Henry G, Warren HL. Osteology. In: Anatomy of the Human Body. 20th ed. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1918. p. 129–97.

QUICK FACTS: LACRIMAL BONE

Key questions answered about this anatomy topic

Q: Where is the lacrimal bone located?

Answer: In the anterior portion of the medial orbital wall. The lacrimal bone is located in the anterior portion of the medial orbital wall. It is the smallest and most fragile bone of the face, positioned between the ethmoid bone and the maxilla.

Q: What is the lacrimal bone?

Answer: The smallest facial bone located in the medial orbit. The lacrimal bone is the smallest and most fragile facial bone. It is a paired bone situated in the anterior portion of the medial orbital wall and plays a crucial role in the lacrimal apparatus for tear drainage.

Q: What does the lacrimal bone do?

Answer: Houses the lacrimal sac and contributes to tear drainage. The lacrimal bone houses the lacrimal sac in the lacrimal fossa and contributes to the formation of the nasolacrimal canal, which drains tears from the eye into the nasal cavity.

Q: What is the function of the lacrimal bone?

Answer: Contributes to tear drainage through the lacrimal apparatus. The primary function of the lacrimal bone is to contribute to the lacrimal apparatus. It forms part of the lacrimal fossa that houses the lacrimal sac and helps form the nasolacrimal canal for tear drainage.

Q: Is the lacrimal bone a facial bone or a cranial bone?

Answer: Facial bone (viscerocranium). The lacrimal bone is classified as a facial bone (viscerocranium). It is one of the 14 facial bones and contributes to the orbit and lacrimal apparatus.

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