Where the zygomatic bone sits in the skeleton

The zygomatic bone is one of the pair of cheekbones. They form part of the outer wall and floor of each eye socket and, with the temporal bone, the zygomatic arch. It meets the frontal, temporal, maxillary and sphenoid bones.

Frequently asked questions

Which part of the skeleton is the zygomatic bone in?

The zygomatic bone is one of the bones of the skull and hyoid. This group covers the bones that enclose the brain, the bones that frame the face, and the hyoid at the front of the neck.

How many bones are in the skull?

The skull has 22 bones: eight cranial bones that enclose the brain and fourteen facial bones that frame the face. The hyoid in the front of the neck is a separate bone that forms no joint with any other bone.

Is there one zygomatic bone or a pair?

The zygomatic bone is paired: there is one on the left and one on the right, and this page covers both.

Which bones form the zygomatic arch?

The temporal process of the zygomatic bone, reaching backwards, meets the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, reaching forwards.

Other bones of the skull and hyoid

Bone counts

By region

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Related reading

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