Anatomy Review for Restoration: Surface Landmarks and Facial Structure

Why Anatomy Matters in Restorative Art

Restorative art is the craft of returning a deceased person's appearance as close as possible to the way family members remember them. Every decision a restorative artist makes—where to build up wax, how deep to press a contour, which angle to hold a needle during feature-setting—depends on a sound mental map of what lies beneath the skin. Without that map, corrections are guesswork. With it, they are informed, repeatable, and respectful of the person's natural form.

This lesson focuses on the bony landmarks, muscle groups, and surface contours of the face and hands that serve as your primary reference points during restoration work.

The Bones of the Face

Six bones and bone groups form the scaffolding you will reference constantly.

Frontal bone. The large, dome-shaped bone of the forehead. Its lower edge forms the supraorbital ridge, the brow prominence that gives the upper face its characteristic masculine or feminine set. Shallow, flat foreheads versus rounded or prominent ones are directly traceable to frontal bone shape. When building up a traumatized forehead with wax or tissue filler, you must restore this curvature accurately or the result will appear flat and artificial.

Nasal bones. Two small rectangular bones that form the upper bridge of the nose. They join the frontal bone at the nasion (the gentle depression at the root of the nose, between the eyes). The nasion depth and the angle at which the nasal bones project forward determine the profile of the nose. Trauma frequently fractures these bones; knowing their normal position helps you re-establish proper projection.

Zygomatic bones (cheekbones). The zygomatic bones create the lateral prominence of the cheek and the floor of the orbit. The zygomatic arch extends posteriorly toward the ear. Cheek projection and the softness or angularity of the mid-face are determined largely by zygomatic width and depth. When emaciation or trauma has collapsed the cheek area, the zygomatic bone is your target landmark for rebuilding the correct contour.

Maxilla. The paired maxillary bones form the upper jaw, the floor of the nose, and much of the hard palate. Their alveolar processes hold the upper teeth. Maxillary position determines lip support: when teeth are absent or the maxilla is depressed, the upper lip collapses inward. Understanding this helps you assess whether cotton or a mouth former will adequately support the lips.

Mandible. The only movable bone of the skull forms the lower jaw and chin. Its angle, the gonial angle, is a major determinant of face shape—square versus tapered. The mental protuberance (chin prominence) is a surface landmark you can palpate directly. Mandibular position affects the closure of the mouth; incorrect setting of the mandible produces an unnatural gape or an overly compressed mouth line.

Orbits. While not a single bone, the bony orbits (formed by contributions from the frontal, zygomatic, maxillary, and other bones) define the depth and placement of the eyes. Orbital rims are palpable landmarks that guide the placement of eye caps.

Major Expression Muscles

Muscles of facial expression lie in layers beneath the skin. Because they insert directly into the skin rather than onto bone, they shape every surface contour you see.

• Frontalis – covers the forehead; raises the brow and creates horizontal forehead lines.
• Orbicularis oculi – circles the orbit; closes the eyelid. Its tone holds the eye naturally shut. Awareness of this muscle guides suturing and setting of the eyelids.
• Zygomaticus major and minor – run from the zygomatic bone to the corners of the mouth, pulling the angle of the mouth upward and laterally. They define the nasolabial fold.
• Orbicularis oris – circles the mouth; shapes the lips and controls lip posture. Mouth closure and the natural roll of the lip border depend on this muscle's position.
• Masseter – a powerful chewing muscle running from the zygomatic arch to the angle of the mandible. In life it creates a visible jaw-angle prominence, especially in muscular individuals. Its bulk must be accounted for when modeling the lower face.
• Mentalis – at the chin tip; creates the chin dimple and chin texture seen in many people.

Surface Contours and Palpable Landmarks

Several surface landmarks can be both seen and felt, making them reliable guides during restoration:

• Glabella – smooth midline prominence between the eyebrows.
• Nasion – the depression at the root of the nose where nasal bones meet the frontal bone.
• Philtrum – the vertical groove running from the base of the nose to the center of the upper lip; a defining feature for lip shaping.
• Vermilion border – the sharp color boundary between lip mucosa and facial skin; must be reproduced precisely for a natural result.
• Malar eminence – the most projecting point of the cheekbone; a key depth guide for cheek wax buildup.
• Gonial angle – the posterior-inferior corner of the mandible; palpable through the skin just anterior to the earlobe.

The Hands

The hands are frequently visible at viewings. Key landmarks include the metacarpal heads (the knuckles), the interphalangeal joints, and the thenar and hypothenar eminences (the muscular pads at the base of the thumb and little finger, respectively). Skin draping, nail bed color, and natural positioning of the fingers are all guided by knowledge of underlying bone and tendon structure.

Safety and Professional Considerations

Always use standard precautions when working with unembalmed or partially prepared remains—gloves, eye protection, and a gown as required by your program and facility policy. Handle anatomical models hygienically; wipe down surfaces between users. When practicing palpation on models, apply controlled pressure only; excessive force can damage teaching materials. In the preparation room, never apply restoration materials to a case without confirming that embalming and hygienic preparation are complete to the level required by your supervisor and applicable regulations.