Which two skeletal processes form the zygomatic arch?

• A. The frontal process of the maxilla and the zygomatic bone.
• B. The temporal process of the zygomatic bone and the zygomatic process of the temporal bone.
• C. The palatine process and nasal bone.
• D. The lacrimal bone and the sphenoid bone.

Answer: (B)

The zygomatic arch is formed where two cheekbone projections meet: the temporal process of the zygomatic bone extends backward and joins with the zygomatic process of the temporal bone. This articulation creates the curved arch that runs from the cheek outward and behind the eye, providing a structure for the attachment of the masseter muscle used in chewing and marking the boundary between the temporal and infratemporal fossae. The other bone pairs mentioned don’t contribute to this arch—they form parts of the orbital walls, the palate, or the nasal region, not the cheekbone arch.