Final answer:
The zygomatic bones, also known as cheekbones or malar bones, form the lateral wall of the orbit and the lateral-inferior margins of the anterior orbital opening, extending a temporal process to contribute to the zygomatic arch. They are part of the 14 facial bones that structure the face.
Step-by-step explanation:
The zygomatic bones, also known as cheekbones or malar bones, are an important pair of facial bones. These bones primarily contribute to the structure of the face by forming much of the lateral wall of the orbit, which is the cavity or socket of the skull in which the eye and its appendages are situated, and the lateral-inferior margins of the anterior orbital opening. Additionally, each zygomatic bone extends a short temporal process posteriorly, contributing to the formation of the zygomatic arch, which is the bony arch at the outer border of the eye socket, formed by the zygomatic process of the temporal bone and the temporal process of the zygomatic bone.
Understanding facial bones is key in biology and health studies as they provide the structure to the face and support facial expressions. The human skull includes 14 facial bones: the paired maxilla, palatine, zygomatic, nasal, lacrimal, and inferior nasal conchae, and the unpaired vomer and mandible bones. The maxillae form the upper jaw and the bottom of the eye sockets, the mandible forms the lower jaw with a forward projection known as the mental protuberance, forming the chin, and the zygomatic bones shape the contour of the cheeks.