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Nasal bone

The nasal bone (Latin: os nasale) is a paired bone forming the anterior wall of the nasal cavity and is largely responsible for the shape of the nose.

The nasal bone articulates with four bones. Two of them are bones of the neurocranium - the frontal bone and ethmoid bone, and two are bones of the viscerocranium - the opposite nasal bone and the maxilla.

Skull with nasal bones (colored orange)
Nasal bones by Anatomy.app

The nasal bones are variable in size and form in different individuals. Each nasal bone has two surfaces (outer and inner) and four borders (superior, inferior, medial, lateral).

Head and neck, Skull, Viscerocranium, Facial skeleton, Nasal bone, Landmarks of nasal bone, Borders of nasal bone, Anterior view
Nasal bone (borders) by Anatomy.app
Head and neck, Skull, Viscerocranium, Facial skeleton, Nasal bone, Landmarks of nasal bone, Borders of nasal bone, Anterior view
Nasal bone (borders) by Anatomy.app
Head and neck, Skull, Viscerocranium, Facial skeleton, Nasal bone, Landmarks of nasal bone, Borders of nasal bone, Medial view
Nasal bone (borders) by Anatomy.app

 

Surfaces and landmarks

The outer surface of the nasal bone is convex from side to side, and covered by two facial muscles - the procerus and nasalis.

Head and neck, Skull, Viscerocranium, Facial skeleton, Nasal bone, Landmarks of nasal bone, Anterior view
Nasal bone by Anatomy.app

The inner surface of this bone is concave from side to side. It features a groove that serves as the passage for a branch of the nasociliary nerve, which itself is a branch of the first division of the opthalmic nerve (CN V1).