Levator labii superioris

Infobox Muscle
Name = PAGENAME
Latin = musculus levator labii superioris
GraySubject = 108
GrayPage = 383


Caption = Muscles of the head, face, and neck.


Caption2 =
Origin = Medial infra-orbital margin
Insertion = Skin and muscle of the upper lip (labii superioris)
Action = Elevates the upper lip
Blood = facial artery
Nerve = buccal branch of the facial nerve (C.N. VII)
Antagonist =
DorlandsPre = m_22
DorlandsSuf = 12549597
The levator labii superioris (or quadratus labii superioris) is a broad sheet, the origin of which extends from the side of the nose to the zygomatic bone.

Its medial fibers form the "angular head", which arises by a pointed extremity from the upper part of the frontal process of the maxilla and passing obliquely downward and lateralward divides into two slips.

One of these is inserted into the greater alar cartilage and skin of the nose; the other is prolonged into the lateral part of the upper lip, blending with the infraorbital head and with the Orbicularis oris.

The intermediate portion or "infraorbital head" arises from the lower margin of the orbit immediately above the infraorbital foramen, some of its fibers being attached to the maxilla, others to the zygomatic bone.

Its fibers converge, to be inserted into the muscular substance of the upper lip between the angular head and the Caninus.

The lateral fibers, forming the "zygomatic head", arise from the malar surface of the zygomatic bone immediately behind the zygomaticomaxillary suture and pass downward and medialward to the upper lip.

ee also

* facial expression
* levator labii superioris alaeque nasi

=Additional

External links

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* [http://www.ptcentral.com/muscles/musclehead.html#levator%20labii%20superioris%20alaeque%20nasi PTCentral]