Styloid bone

The styloid bone (lat. os styloideus) is a sphenoid bone, found in humans and representatives of other mammals, except the platypus and echidna.

The styloid is located in the temporal region of the head, in the upper part of the pyramid of the temporal bone. From behind it approaches the external auditory opening; in front it is connected to the pyramid of the temporal bone using a joint. Lying between the pyramid and the squama of the occipital bone, it anteriorly passes into the stylohyoid bone. It is attached to the thyroid cartilage of the larynx on the right side, and its neck extends to the edge of the sternocleidomastoid muscle; is part of the larynx and protects the carotid artery and facial nerve from friction against the edge of the muscle. The posterior surface articulates with the housing bone of the carotid canal.

The base tapers posteriorly. The awl-shaped form is a way to provide movement simultaneously with the jaw (lateral movement). Provides translational and rotational movements in the joints of the neck, participates in