The infratemporal fossa is the space beneath the skull between the pharynx wall and mandible ramus. It communicates with the temporal fossa through a gap behind the zygomatic arch. The fossa is also known as the parapharyngeal or lateral pharyngeal space. It has a roof formed by the sphenoid wing pierced by two foramina, medial wall formed by the lateral pterygoid plate, lateral wall by the mandible ramus, and anterior wall by the maxilla separated from the roof by an orbital fissure. The floor is open and extends to the mandible base, and the posterior wall is formed by the temporal bone styloid process.

1. V.S.RASHMI PRIYEM
ULTRA’S BEST DENTAL SCIENCE COLLEGE,
MADURAI

2. INFRATEMPORAL FOSSA
 THE INFRATEMPORAL FOSSA IS THE SPACE
BENEATH THE BASE OF THE SKULL, BETWEEN
THE SIDE WALL OF THE PHARYNX AND RAMUS
OF THE MANDIBLE.

3. INFRATEMPORAL FOSSA
 COMMUNICATES WITH THE TEMPORAL FOSSA
THROUGH A GAP DEEP TO THE ZYGOMATIC
ARCH.

4. INFRATEMPORAL FOSSA
 ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE PARAPHARYNGEAL
SPACE OR LATERAL PHARYNGEAL SPACE.

7. ROOF
 FORMED BY THE INFRATEMPORAL SURFACE OF
THE GREATER WING OF THE SPHENOID.
 IT IS PIERCED BY FORAMEN SPINOSUM AND
FORAMEN OVALE.

8. MEDIAL WALL
 FORMED BY LATERAL SURFACE OF THE LATERAL
PTERYGOID PLATE OF THE SPHENOID.
 IT IS SEPARATED FROM THE ANTERIOR WALL BY
PTERYGOMAXILLARY FISSURE.

9. LATERAL WALL
 FORMED BY THE RAMUS OF THE MANDIBLE.

10. ANTERIOR WALL
 FORMED BY THE INFRATEMPORAL SURFACE OF
THE MAXILLA.
 IT IS SEPARATED FROM ROOF BY INFERIOR
ORBITAL FISSURE.

11. FLOOR
 OPEN AND EXTENDS UP TO THE LEVEL OF THE
BASE OF THE MANDIBLE.

12. POSTERIOR WALL
 FORMED BY STYLOID PROCESS OF THE
TEMPORAL BONE.