The lacrimal hamulus is a small, hook-like bony projection of the

lacrimal bone The lacrimal bone is a small and fragile bone of the facial skeleton; it is roughly the size of the little fingernail. It is situated at the front part of the medial wall of the orbit. It has two surfaces and four borders. Several bony landmarks of ...

. It is a continuation of the

posterior lacrimal crest The posterior lacrimal crest is a vertical bony ridge on the orbital surface of the lacrimal bone. It divides the bone into two parts. It gives origin to the lacrimal part of the orbicularis oculi muscle. Structure The posterior lacrimal crest ...

. It articulates with the

lacrimal tubercle The lateral margin of the groove of the frontal process of the maxilla is named the anterior lacrimal crest, and is continuous below with the orbital margin; at its junction with the orbital surface is a small tubercle, the lacrimal tubercle, whi ...

of the

maxilla The maxilla (plural: ''maxillae'' ) in vertebrates is the upper fixed (not fixed in Neopterygii) bone of the jaw formed from the fusion of two maxillary bones. In humans, the upper jaw includes the hard palate in the front of the mouth. The t ...

, and completes the upper orifice of the lacrimal canaliculus. It sometimes exists as a separate piece, and is then called the lesser lacrimal bone.

Structure

The lacrimal hamulus is a small, hook-like bony projection of the

. It is a continuation of the

of the lacrimal bone. It articulates with the

of the

. This completes the upper orifice of the lacrimal canaliculus.

Relations

The lacrimal hamulus is usually around 9 mm from the

infraorbital foramen In human anatomy, the infraorbital foramen is one of two small holes in the skull's upper jawbone (maxillary bone), located below the eye socket and to the left and right of the nose. Both holes are used for blood vessels and nerves. In anatomica ...

, around 20 mm from the

inferior orbital fissure The inferior orbital fissure is formed by the sphenoid bone and the maxilla. It is located posteriorly along the boundary of the floor and lateral wall of the orbit. It transmits a number of structures, including: * the zygomatic branch of the m ...

, and around 31 mm from the beginning of the

Variation

The lacrimal hamulus develops from its own site of primary ossification of

cartilage Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints as articular cartilage, and is a structural component of many body parts including the rib cage, the neck an ...

. Because of this, it sometimes exists as a separate piece, and is then called the lesser lacrimal bone.

References

{{Authority control Bones of the head and neck

Structure

Relations

Variation

See also

References