Mandibular fossa

Bone: Mandibular fossa
Left temporal bone. Outer surface. (Mandibular fossa labeled at left, third from the top.)
Base of skull. Inferior surface. (Mandibular fossa labeled at center left. Temporal bone is pink.)
Latin	f. mandibularis
Gray's	subject #34 140

The mandibular fossa is the depression in the temporal bone that articulates with the mandibular condyle. In the temporal bone, the mandibular fossa is bounded, in front, by the articular tubercle; behind, by the tympanic part of the bone, which separates it from the external acoustic meatus; it is divided into two parts by a narrow slit, the petrotympanic fissure (Glaserian fissure). The mandibular fossa is also referred to as the glenoid fossa, especially in dental literature.

see also the TMJ

Additional images

• 

  Auditory tube, laid open by a cut in its long axis.

External links

• SUNY Figs 22:4b-07
• SUNY Labs 27:st-0311
• Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 34257.000-1
• photo at victoriacollege.edu

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.