There is heavy
variation in the structure of the nasal bones, accounting for the differences in sizes and shapes of the nose seen across different people. Angles, shapes, and configurations of both the bone and cartilage are heavily varied between individuals. Broadly, most nasal bones can be categorized as "V-shaped" or "S-shaped" but these are not
scientific or medical categorizations. When viewing
anatomical drawings of these bones, consider that they are unlikely to be accurate for a majority of people. The two nasal bones are joined at the midline
internasal suture and make up the
bridge of the nose.
Surfaces The
outer surface is
concavo-convex from above downward, convex from side to side; it is covered by the
procerus and
nasalis muscles, and perforated about its center by the
nasal foramen, a small passageway for the transmission of a small
vein from the overlying soft tissues. The
inner surface is concave from side to side, and is traversed from above downward, by a groove for the passage of a branch of the
nasociliary nerve.
Articulations The nasal articulates with four bones: two of the cranium, the
frontal and
ethmoid, and two of the face, the opposite nasal and the
maxilla. ==Other animals==