Zygomatic process

The Zygomatic process forms an "L" in this picture.

Zygomatic process is a protrusion from the rest of the skull, like the bumper of a car. Most of it belongs to the zygomatic bone, and could therefore be called the zygomatic process of the zygomatic bone. However, there are other bones contributing to it too, namely the frontal bone, maxilla and temporal bone, which therefore form:

• Zygomatic process of frontal bone
• Zygomatic process of maxilla
• Zygomatic process of temporal bone

The term zygomatic derives from the Greek Ζυγόμα zygoma meaning "yoke". The zygomatic process is occasionally referred to as the zygoma, but this term usually refers to the zygomatic bone or occasionally the zygomatic arch.

Processes

The zygomatic process is actually the entity of several processes, namely the frontosphenoidal, orbital, maxillary and temporal processes.

The frontosphenoidal process is thick and serrated. The cranial suture between the frontal and zygomatic bone is found here. On its orbital surface, just within the orbital margin and about 11 mm below the zygomaticofrontal suture is a tubercle of varying size and form, but present in 95 per cent of skulls (Whitnall 43). This tubercle isn't seen in the picture.

As a comparison, this is how the skull looks with almost all of the zygomatic process removed

The orbital process is a thick, strong plate, projecting backward and medialward from the orbital margin. It is the gloomy area beneath the lac(rimal) and ethmoidal bones in the image.

The maxillary process presents a rough, triangular surface which articulates with the maxilla. It is the area below "zygomatic" in the image.

The temporal process, long, narrow, and serrated, articulates with the zygomatic process of the temporal. It is the process to the right of "zygomatic" in the image.

References