# What is the lower jaw called?

The lower jaw is called the mandible. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as the largest and strongest bone of the face.

## What it means

- The largest and strongest bone of the face.
- Consists of a horseshoe-shaped body and two vertical branches (rami).
- The only movable bone of the skull.

## Action steps

1. Forms the lower jaw and chin.
2. Articulates on each side with the temporal bone at the temporomandibular joint.
3. Carries the lower teeth.

## Sources

- [Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918)](https://www.bartleby.com/107/)

---
Canonical: https://bestanatomyanswers.com/answers/what-is-the-lower-jaw-called
Author: Best Anatomy Answers — https://bestanatomyanswers.com
Publisher: Best Anatomy Answers
Published: 2026-07-18T00:00:00+00:00
Modified: 2026-07-18T00:00:00+00:00
Last verified: 2026-07-18
License: Citation License 1.0 — https://bestexpertanswers.com/license
© Adolicious LLC