• Includes muscles for speech production

• Protects vital nerves and structures, specifically cranial nerves

• Surrounds ear and gives support to ear

• Provides structural support for skull

• Protects the cerebrum of the brain and membranes

• Protects temporal lobe

• Bottom joint allows jaw to open and close well

• Surrounds middle and inner ear portions

• Helps regulate air pressure

(Gurarie, 2020.)

The physiology of the temporal bone is extremely important to hearing. This is because it surrounds the ear from the outside, as well as the middle and inner ear. This provides protection and support and keeps us being able to hear. It also protects vital nerves and structures, which if damaged would harm our hearing. The temporal bone also protects parts of the brain and skull, which if damaged could harm our language processing as well as language ability through issues with hearing. This damage could be blunt trauma or internal issues.