The jawbone
Mandible · mandibula
The horseshoe-shaped lower jaw, the only skull bone that moves.
What it does
The mandible holds your lower teeth and swings from joints just in front of your ears. Powerful chewing muscles on each side close it, and it can also slide forward and side to side to grind food. It is the largest and strongest bone in the face.
Surprising fact
The mandible is the only bone of the skull that can move freely, and your jaw muscles can bite down with a force of several hundred newtons between the back teeth.
Why it matters
Clenching or grinding your teeth at night overworks the jaw muscles and joints, which can cause jaw pain, headaches and worn teeth.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.