The cranium has bones that protect the face and brain
The cranium is part of the skull anatomy.
The entire skull is made up of 22 bones, eight of which are cranial bones.
The two main parts of the cranium are the cranial roof and the cranial base.
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Together, the cranial and facial bones make up the complete skull.
The cranium has a very important job: to hold and protect the brain.
It also allows passage of the cranial nerves that are essential to everyday functioning.
There are some abnormalities to craniofacial anatomy that are seen in infancy as the babys head grows and develops.
Other conditions of the cranium include tumors and fractures.
It connects to the facial skeleton.
The cranium has two main partsthe cranial roof and the cranial base.
The cranial roof consists of thefrontal,occipital, and two parietal bones.
The cranial base is composed of the frontal,sphenoid,ethmoid, occipital, parietal, andtemporalbones.
The cranial bones are fused together to keep your brain safe and sound.
However, in infancy, the cranial bones have gaps between them and are connected by connective tissue.
These can be felt as soft spots.
This allows the brain to grow and develop before the bones fuse together to make one piece.
Thecranial nervesoriginate inside the cranium and exit through passages in the cranial bones.
These nerves are essential to everyday functioning, including smelling, seeing, and chewing.
For example, thehypoglossal nervecontrols the movements of the tongue so that you might chew and speak.
Some craniofacial abnormalities result from the skull bones fusing together too soon or in an abnormal way during infancy.
Some craniofacial abnormalities are sporadic, meaning they are not associated with any known genetic abnormality.
Skull base tumor conditions are classified by the pop in of tumor and its location in the skull base.
Skull fractures are another throw in of condition associated with the cranium.
They result from blunt force or penetrating trauma.
The most common causes of traumatic head injuries are motor vehicle accidents, violence/abuse, and falls.
Treatment
Treatment of cranial injuries depends on the bang out of injury.
For example, some craniofacial abnormalities can be corrected with surgery.
Tumors require a medical team to treat.
If surgery is indicated, some may be more difficult depending on the location of the cranial tumor.
Summary
The cranium houses and protects the brain.
In infancy, the eight cranial bones are not quite sewn together, which allows for brain growth.
Once fused, they help keep the brain out of harm’s way.
The cranium can be affected by structural abnormalities, tumors, or traumatic injury.
A Word From Verywell
The cranium is like a helmet for the brain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does “cranium” also mean “head”?
Generally speaking, yes.
The rest is made up of facial bones.
How many bones are in the skull?
There are 22 bones in the skull.
Fourteen are facial bones and eight are cranial bones.
The bones are connected by suture lines where they grow together.
What kind of protection does the cranium provide?
The cranium houses and protects the brain.
The cranium is pretty robust because it has such a high-stakes job of protecting the brain.
However, cranial bone fractures can happen, which can increase the risk of brain injury.
But some fractures are mild enough that they can heal without much intervention.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Head injury.
