Which ligament connects the styloid process to the mandible?

• A. Temporomandibular ligament
• B. Stylomandibular ligament
• C. Sphenomandibular ligament
• D. Coronoid ligament

Answer: (B)

The key idea is understanding which ligaments connect areas of the skull to the mandible. The ligament that links the styloid process to the mandible is the stylomandibular ligament. It runs from the styloid process of the temporal bone down to the angle of the mandible, outside the TMJ capsule, and acts as a passive support that helps limit excessive opening or forward movement of the jaw. Other ligaments attach elsewhere—such as the temporomandibular ligament linking the temporal bone to the condyle, and the sphenomandibular ligament running from the sphenoid to the lingula of the mandible—so they don’t connect the styloid process to the mandible. There isn’t a coronoid ligament.