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Hyoid bone

The hyoid bone (also known as the tongue-bone, lingual bone, Latin: os hyoideum) is a single "U" shaped bone situated in the anterior part of the neck between the chin and the thyroid cartilage. The hyoid bone is attached to the skull with the help of ligaments. It sometimes classified as a bone of the viscerocranium.

 

The main parts of the hyoid bone are:

  • Body of hyoid
  • Lesser horn (2)
  • Greater horn (2)

The body of the hyoid is the anterior segment of the hyoid bone between the two pairs of horns. Two bony projections known as the greater horn and lesser horn extend from each side of the hyoid bone.