Human Anatomy, Part 1 - K. A. Dyubenko, A. K. Kolomiysev, Yu. B. Chaykovsky 2002

Special Part
Axial Skeleton, sceleton axiale - Bones of the facial skull
Hyoid bone

The hyoid bone, os hyoideum, is horseshoe-shaped (Fig. 48D) and lies beneath the body of the Tongue. It connects with other bones via ligaments at the level of the upper border of the fourth cervical vertebra. It consists of a body, corpus ossis hyoidei, which forms a curved plate, and two pairs of processes: the greater horns, cornu majus, and the lesser horns, cornu minus. The lateral margins of the body articulate with the greater horns through articular surfaces or fibrous hyaline Cartilage. The Suprahyoid Muscles of the tongue and neck attach to the upper aspect of the hyoid bone, while the Infrahyoid muscles attach to its lower aspect.

Ossification. The hyoid bone develops from five ossification centers that appear during the 9th month of prenatal development. Complete ossification is achieved by the age of 25.

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Fig. 48. Facial bones – external view (1) and internal view (2):

A – Inferior nasal concha, concha nasalis inferior; B – Nasal bone, os nasale; C – Lacrimal bone, os lacrimale; D – Vomer, vomer (right lateral view); E – hyoid bone, os hyoideum



Last update: 08/08/2026

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