Sphenoid bone: the deep base of the temple and orbit
Quick facts
- Location
- Center of the skull base, with wings that reach the temporal fossa and the lateral wall of the orbit.
- Parts
- Body, greater wings, lesser wings and pterygoid processes.
- Relation to the temple
- The greater wing forms part of the deep floor of the temporal fossa, together with the frontal, parietal and temporal bones.
- Relation to the orbit
- The greater and lesser wings form part of the wall and fissures of the orbit.
The sphenoid bone is an unpaired, butterfly-shaped bone at the center of the skull base. It does not show on the surface of the face, but it forms deep structures that the facial harmonization professional knows by name: part of the floor of the temporal fossa, part of the lateral wall of the orbit and both orbital fissures.
What are the parts of the sphenoid?
| Part | What it forms or houses |
|---|---|
| Body | Center of the bone, with the sphenoid sinus |
| Greater wing | Part of the floor of the temporal fossa and the lateral wall of the orbit |
| Lesser wing | Roof of the orbit and margin of the superior orbital fissure |
| Pterygoid processes | Descend toward the infratemporal fossa and give origin to the pterygoid muscles |
The greater wing is the one that matters most to the face. On the lateral surface of the skull, it is one of the pieces in the meeting point of four bones, together with the frontal, the parietal and the temporal, known as the pterion. This meeting point marks a region of thin bone, with meningeal vessels just beneath it.
Why does it matter in facial harmonization?
The temple is a high-risk region, and understanding its depth helps respect the limits. Several points stand out.
- Floor of the temporal fossa: the temporalis muscle covers the bone, and between it and the skin run fat and vessels, including the deep temporal artery. The greater wing of the sphenoid is part of the floor of this space.
- Pterion: the thin bone there is a known point of fragility in trauma. In facial harmonization terms, it reinforces the idea that the temple is no place for improvisation.
- Orbit: the fissures between the sphenoid wings and the neighboring bones allow passage for nerves and vessels that feed and move the eye. What happens to a vessel in the temple or glabella can, in severe cases, reach this territory.
How to use this knowledge in planning?
The professional does not see the sphenoid, but uses the reasoning: the temple has little fat, thin bone and large-caliber vessels, and a small volume can change the contour considerably. In the temples, the decision on volume and technique belongs to the qualified professional, after assessment, and the conversation with the patient needs to include the risks and the course of swelling.
Also called: sphenoidal bone, os sphenoidale.
Frequently asked questions
Does the sphenoid show on the surface of the face?
No. It is a deep bone that no one can palpate on the face. Its importance is in understanding the depth of the temple and orbit and why vessels and nerves are protected there.