Which part of the body is the zygomatic bone?

The zygomatic bone is located in the midface, situated lateroinferior to the orbit. It is rhomboid-shaped and features four processes: the orbital process, temporal process, maxillary process, and frontosphenoidal process. The zygomatic bone and zygomatic arch serve as critical bony supports of the face, fulfilling several key functions: protecting the prominent lateral facial structures, defining the lateral contours of the midface, and separating the deep temporalis muscle from the overlying superficial skin. As an essential bony framework of the face, the zygomatic bone significantly influences facial appearance.

The zygomatic arch serves three primary functions: (1) protective—shielding the lateral skull wall and surrounding structures; (2) contour-defining—contributing to the facial outline; and (3) compartmentalizing—separating the skin from the temporalis muscle, thereby facilitating normal temporalis muscle function.

In recent years, zygomatic bone fractures have become increasingly common and have drawn growing clinical attention. Zygomatic pain may result from various causes, including facial exposure to cold, local muscular hypercontraction, or pathological conditions such as bone tumors, bone cysts, bone contusions, or bone fissures. Diagnosis typically requires imaging studies—including localized X-ray, color Doppler ultrasound, CT, and sometimes MRI.