The hyoid’s function is to help hold the trachea open and to form a bony connection for the tongue muscles. The hyoid is the only bone in the body that does not form a joint with any other bone-it is a floating bone. The hyoid is a small, U-shaped bone found just inferior to the mandible. The bones of the inferior and anterior portion of the skull are known as facial bones and support the eyes, nose, and mouth. The bones of the superior portion of the skull are known as the cranium and protect the brain from damage.

The mandible remains as a movable jaw bone and forms the only movable joint in the skull with the temporal bone. These 21 fused bones are separate in children to allow the skull and brain to grow, but fuse to give added strength and protection as an adult. The skull is composed of 22 bones that are fused together except for the mandible. The appendicular skeleton is made up of 126 bones in the folowing regions: The axial skeleton runs along the body’s midline axis and is made up of 80 bones in the following regions: These bones are arranged into two major divisions: the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The skeletal system in an adult body is made up of 206 individual bones. Finally, the skeleton grows throughout childhood and provides a framework for the rest of the body to grow along with it. Bones act as the body’s warehouse forĬalcium, iron, and energy in the form of fat. New blood cells are produced by the red bone marrow inside of our bones. The skeletal system also provides attachment points for muscles to allow movements at the joints.

The skeleton acts as a scaffold by providing support and protection for the soft tissues that make up the rest of the body.

Each bone is a complex living organ that is made up of many cells, protein fibers, and minerals. The skeletal system includes all of the bones and joints in the body.

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