Mnemonic

Fourteen Facial Bones

Mnemonic for the fourteen bones of the facial skeleton.

Expansion

Two Zygomatic Nasal Every Maxilla Loves Vomer, In Public

Mnemonic

“Virgil Can Not Make My Pet Zebra Laugh”:

  • V - Vomer, single
  • C - inferior nasal Conchae, paired
  • N - Nasal, paired
  • M - Maxilla, paired
  • M - Mandible, single
  • P - Palatine, paired
  • Z - Zygomatic, paired
  • L - Lacrimal, paired

Six pairs plus two single bones gives fourteen.

The mandible is the only mobile bone of the skull, and with the vomer it is one of only two unpaired facial bones.

Expansion

  • 2 Zygomatic
  • 2 Nasal
  • 2 Maxilla
  • 2 Lacrimal
  • 2 Palatine
  • 2 Inferior nasal conchae
  • 1 Vomer
  • 1 Mandible