Which bone forms the temporal component of the TMJ, including the glenoid fossa and articular eminence?

Which bone forms the temporal component of the TMJ, including the glenoid fossa and articular eminence?

• A. Temporal bone
• B. Sphenoid bone
• C. Occipital bone
• D. Zygomatic bone

Answer: (A)

The TMJ’s socket and the forward boundary come from the temporal bone. The glenoid (mandibular) fossa sits on the underside of the temporal bone, and the articular eminence is part of the same bone, forming the anterior boundary of the joint. The mandible’s condyle fits into that fossa with an articular disc between. So the bone providing the temporal-side components of the TMJ is the temporal bone. The other bones don’t house these tmj surfaces: the sphenoid is a central cranial bone with different articulations, the occipital forms the back of the skull, and the zygomatic bone contributes to the cheek and part of the zygomatic arch but not the TMJ’s fossa/eminence.

The TMJ’s socket and the forward boundary come from the temporal bone. The glenoid (mandibular) fossa sits on the underside of the temporal bone, and the articular eminence is part of the same bone, forming the anterior boundary of the joint. The mandible’s condyle fits into that fossa with an articular disc between. So the bone providing the temporal-side components of the TMJ is the temporal bone. The other bones don’t house these tmj surfaces: the sphenoid is a central cranial bone with different articulations, the occipital forms the back of the skull, and the zygomatic bone contributes to the cheek and part of the zygomatic arch but not the TMJ’s fossa/eminence.