Masseter muscle
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View Yvette Mellam's current disclosures- Masseter muscle
The masseter muscle is one of the muscles of mastication. It is rectangular in shape and consists of three layers of inferoposteriorly oriented fibers that blend anteriorly.
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Summary
origin: zygomatic arch
insertion: ramus and angle of mandible
innervation: masseteric branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve
action: elevate and protract the angle of the mandible 1
Gross anatomy
-
superficial layer
origin: the aponeurotic tissue arising from the maxillary process of the zygomatic bone and the anterior two-thirds of the inferior aspect of the zygomatic arch
insertion: muscle fibers run inferoposteriorly and insert into the angle and the posterior half of the lateral aspect of the mandibular ramus
-
middle layer
origin: the medial aspect of the anterior two-thirds, and the lower border of the posterior third of the zygomatic arch
insertion: the central part of the mandibular ramus
-
deep layer
origin: the medial aspect of the zygomatic arch
insertion: the upper part of the mandibular ramus and the coronoid process 1
Relations
superficial: skin, platysma, risorius, zygomaticus major, parotid duct and gland, branches of facial nerve, transverse facial branches of superficial temporal vessels
deep: temporalis and ramus of mandible
anterior: buccal fat pad separating masseter from buccinator and buccal nerve
posterior: parotid gland
Arterial supply
Blood supply is derived from several vessels:
the masseteric branch of the maxillary artery
the facial artery
the transverse facial branch of the superficial temporal artery
Innervation
The masseteric nerve, a branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve (CN V3).
Action
The main function of masseter is to elevate the mandible and to clench the teeth. It also acts to protract the angle of the mandible.
Quiz questions
References
- 1. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. (2020) ISBN: 9780702077050 - Google Books
Incoming Links
- Mandible
- Facial-cavernous anastomoses
- Muscles of mastication
- Squamous part of temporal bone
- Submasseteric space
- Motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve
- Marginal mandibular nerve
- Accessory parotid gland
- Masticator space
- Facial vein
- Stylomandibular ligament
- Digastric muscle
- Parotid duct
- Masseteric artery
- Risorius muscle
- Parotid gland
- Buccal space
- Zygomatic bone
- Masseteric nerve
- Unilateral masticatory muscles hypertrophy
- Masseter muscle hypertrophy - bilateral
- Mandible fracture
- Accessory parotid gland
- Basal cell carcinoma - Parotid
- Facial haemangioma
- Haemangioma - buccal space
- Intramuscular haemangioma - masseter muscle
- Infantile haemangioma
- Benign hypertrophy of left masseter and left pterygoid muscles
- Parotid abscess
- Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the parotid
- Maxillary sarcoma with metastasis
- Cysticercosis in masseter muscle
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