Equatorial Plate

In Latin, “equatorial” means located near the equator. There are two equatorial plates (syn.: “breathed”, “latticed”) - wedge-shaped and stony.

From the inside, behind and on the sides, the wedge-shaped plate is covered by the temporal pendant, as well as the occipital belly of the temporal muscle. The occipital bone is superimposed on it in front, below and above. The response is a continuation of the support for the parietal bone. With the help of the temporal and petrous bones, the sphenoid acts as the superior edge of the large, main opening of the temporomandibular joint and the auricle. The lower border of the plate also represents the central zone of the lower edge of the middle ear. It is located above the external carotid artery, which is located on the surface of the petrosal complex. The lowest point of the external auditory canal is approximately at the level of the posterior upper border of the plate. At the lowest point, this passage widens to about 6 mm in width.

The wedge-shaped bone element is represented by a rather narrow plate, the widest in the middle part of the plate. The top edge of this overlay is right in the middle between the top and bottom edges, where the cheek meets the chin. The wedge-shaped tip ends at the site of the angular process and is located somewhere along the outer edge of the wedge-shaped protrusion.