In human anatomy and development, the facial skeleton is sometimes called the membranous viscerocranium, which comprises the mandible and dermatocranial elements that are not part of the braincase.

In the human skull, the facial skeleton consists of fourteen bones in the face:[1][2] Elements of the cartilaginous viscerocranium (i.e., splanchnocranial elements), such as the hyoid bone, are sometimes considered part of the facial skeleton.

Variation in craniofacial form between humans is largely due to differing patterns of biological inheritance.

Cross-analysis of osteological variables and genome-wide SNPs has identified specific genes that control this craniofacial development.

Of these genes, DCHS2, RUNX2, GLI3, PAX1 and PAX3 were found to determine nasal morphology, whereas EDAR impacts chin protrusion.