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jaw, either of a pair of bones that form the framework of the mouth of vertebrate animals, usually containing teeth and including a movable lower jaw and fixed upper jaw (maxilla). Jaws function by moving in opposition to each other and are used for biting, chewing, and the handling of food.
Human lower jaw viewed from the left. The jaws are a pair of opposable articulated structures at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food.
In jawed vertebrates, the mandible (from the Latin mandibula, 'for chewing'), lower jaw, or jawbone is a bone that makes up the lower – and typically more mobile – component of the mouth (the upper jaw being known as the maxilla). The jawbone is the skull's only movable, posable bone, sharing joints with the cranium's temporal bones.
A jaw that’s too small, too large, or crooked can cause problems with chewing, speaking, breathing, and even sleeping. The shape of your jaws also affects the way your face looks. This sheet helps you understand how the teeth and jaws work.
It forms the lower jaw and acts as a receptacle for the lower teeth. It also articulates on either side with the temporal bone, forming the temporomandibular joint. In this article, we will look at the anatomy and clinical importance of the mandible.
The mandible consists of two main parts: a body and two rami. These parts feature various anatomical landmarks that participate in important functions of the mandible, for example housing the teeth and providing the passage for neurovascular structures. This article will discuss the anatomy of the mandible.
In humans, the mandible is the only mobile bone of the skull (other than the tiny bones of the middle ear). It is attached to muscles involved in chewing and other mouth movements and functions by moving in opposition to the maxilla (upper jaw); together, the two parts are used for biting, chewing, and handling food.