Table 2.
1 | Intersection of the infratemporal crest and sphenosquamosal suture |
2 | Most lateral point on the margin of foramen ovale2 |
3 | Most anterior point on the articular surface of the articular eminence |
4 | Most inferior point on entoglenoid process |
5 | Most inferior point on the medial margin of the articular surface of the articular eminence |
6 | Midpoint of the lateral margin of the articular surface of the articular eminence |
7 | Centre of articular eminence3 |
8 | Deepest point within mandibular fossa4 |
9 | Most inferior point on the postglenoid process |
10 | Point on anterior margin of tympanic element that is closest to carotid canal |
11 | Apex of the petrous part of the temporal bone |
12 | Most posterolateral point on the margin of the carotid canal entrance |
13 | Most lateral point on the vagina of the styloid process (whether process is present or absent) |
14 | Most lateral point on the margin of the stylomastoid foramen |
15 | Most lateral point on the jugular fossa |
16 | Centre of the inferior tip of the mastoid process |
17 | Most inferior point on the external acoustic porus |
18 | Most inferolateral point on the tympanic element of the temporal bone |
19 | Point of inflection where the braincase curves laterally into the supraglenoid gutter, in coronal plane of mandibular fossa |
20 | Point on lateral margin of zygomatic process of the temporal bone at the position of the postglenoid process |
21 | Auriculare |
22 | Porion |
23 | Asterion |
Definitions for standard craniometric landmarks follow Braeuer (1988).
This is the only landmark not on the temporal bone that was included in the analysis. Foramen ovale provides a highly replicable landmark near the medial margin of anterior portion of temporal bone and is preferred here to a more arbitrary point located on, for example, the sphenosquamosal suture.
The centre of the articular eminence was determined instrumentally with calipers prior to digitizing. The horizontal distance covered by the eminence was used for this purpose.
If there was no ‘deepest point’ evident in the mandibular fossa, the centre of the fossa was determined instrumentally, as with the centre of the articular eminence.