Masseter muscle

Masseter muscle
Masseter
Illu head neck muscle.jpg
Muscles of the head and neck.
Gray1024.png
Dissection, showing salivary glands of right side. (Masseter visible at center.)
Latin musculus masseter
Gray's subject #109 385
Origin zygomatic arch and maxilla
Insertion    coronoid process, ramus of mandible, cementomaxillary tendon and cementomandibular tendon
Artery masseteric artery
Nerve mandibular nerve (V3)
Actions elevation (as in closing of the mouth) and protraction of mandible
Antagonist Platysma muscle

In human anatomy, the masseter is one of the muscles of mastication.

In the animal kingdom, it is particularly powerful in herbivores to facilitate chewing of plant matter.

Contents

Origin and insertion of the two heads

The masseter is a thick, somewhat quadrilateral muscle, consisting of two parts, superficial and deep. The fibers of the two portions are continuous at their insertion. The masseter muscle is sometimes the target of plastic jaw reduction surgery.

Superficial

The superficial portion, the larger, arises by a thick, tendinous aponeurosis from the zygomatic process of the maxilla, and from the anterior two-thirds of the lower border of the zygomatic arch. Its fibers pass downward and backward, to be inserted into the angle and lower half of the lateral surface of the ramus of the mandible.

Deep

The deep portion is much smaller, and more muscular in texture. It arises from the posterior 3rd of the lower border and from the whole of the medial surface of the zygomatic arch. Its fibers pass downward and forward, to be inserted into the upper half of the ramus and the lateral surface of the coronoid process of the mandible.

The deep portion of the muscle is partly concealed, in front, by the superficial portion; behind, it is covered by the parotid gland.

Innervation

Along with the other three muscles of mastication (temporalis, medial pterygoid and lateral pterygoid), the masseter is innervated by the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve.

Additional images

  • Left temporal bone. Outer surface.

  • Left temporal bone. Inferior surface.

  • Left zygomatic bone. Temporal surface.

  • Mandible. Outer surface. Side view.

  • Base of skull. Inferior surface.

  • The arteries of the face and scalp.

  • Veins of the head and neck.

  • Mandibular division of the trifacial nerve.

  • Muscles of the head, face, and neck.

See also

External links

v · d · eList of muscles of head and neck: the head (TA A04.1, GA 4.378)
Extraocular (CN III, IV, VI)
Mastication (CN V3)

masseter · temporalis (sphenomandibularis) · pterygoid (lateral, medial)

fascia: Masseteric fascia · Temporal fascia · Deep portion: cementomaxillary tendon · Superficial portion: cementomandibular tendon
Facial (CN VII)
Palate/fauces (CN IX, X, XI)
(except TVP=V3)
veli palatini (tensor, levator) · musculus uvulae · palatopharyngeus (to pharynx) · palatoglossus (to tongue)
Tongue (CN XII)
extrinsic (genioglossus, hyoglossus/chondroglossus, styloglossus, and palatoglossus) · intrinsic (superior longitudinal, inferior longitudinal, transverse, vertical)

M: MUS, DF+DRCT

anat (h/n, u, t/d, a/p, l)/phys/devp/hist

noco(m, s, c)/cong(d)/tumr, sysi/epon, injr

proc, drug (M1A/3)

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  • masséter — [ masetɛr ] n. m. • 1541; gr. masêtêr « masticateur » ♦ Anat. Muscle élévateur du maxillaire inférieur. ● masséter nom masculin (grec masêtêr, qui mâche) Muscle pair des joues appartenant au groupe des muscles masticateurs, dont le rôle est d… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

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  • Muscle — is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. There are three types of muscle in the body. Muscle which is responsible for moving extremities and external areas of the body is called "skeletal muscle." Heart… …   Medical dictionary

  • muscle — [ myskl ] n. m. • 1314; lat. musculus « petit rat » → 2. moule 1 ♦ Anat. Structure organique contractile qui assure les mouvements. ⇒ motricité. Relatif aux muscles. ⇒ musculaire, musculeux; my(o) , sarco . Le muscle est fait de cellules en… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • musclé — muscle [ myskl ] n. m. • 1314; lat. musculus « petit rat » → 2. moule 1 ♦ Anat. Structure organique contractile qui assure les mouvements. ⇒ motricité. Relatif aux muscles. ⇒ musculaire, musculeux; my(o) , sarco . Le muscle est fait de cellules… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Masseter — Mas se*ter, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? a chewer, ? a muscle of the lower jaw used in chewing, from ? to chew: cf. F. mass[ e]ter.] (Anat.) The large muscle which raises the under jaw, and assists in mastication. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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