Mimicry Muscles

All facial muscles are innervated from n. facialis (N. VII).

Musculus orbicularis oris

 * movable lip filler;
 * pars labialis (internal - on the lips);
 * pars marginalis (external - near the bones).


 * Features:
 * slight contraction (pars labialis) – pursed lips;
 * stronger contraction (pars marginalis) - lip thrust forward;
 * edges – connection of other muscles (lat. from corner – nodal point of crossing of muscle bundles) (increased amount of ligaments with tendon bundles), skin sunken.

From above and from the lateral side of med. → lat.

 * m. levator labii superioris (together with m. levator labii superioris alaque nasi from the edge of the orbit);
 * m. zygomaticus minor - from os zygomaticum to sulcus nasolabialis;
 * m. zygomaticus major - from the os zygomaticum to the corner of the mouth;
 * m. levator anguli oris (m. caninus) - from the fossa canina - facies anterior maxillae to the nodal point - raises the angle;
 * m. risorius - from the fascia massetrica to the nodal point.

From below

 * m. depressor anguli oris - m. triangularis (edge of the mandible - nodal point);
 * m. depressor labii inferioris - m. quadratus labii inferioris (from the edge of the mandible to the m. orbicularis oris and skin);
 * m. mentalis - in the middle of the chin (mandible - the end of the root of the external incisor) to the skin of the lip.
 * Function: retracts sulcus mentalolabialis.

Musculus orbicularis oculi

 * pars orbitalis (at the bony edge of the eye socket - proc. frontalis maxillae, crista lacrimalis anterior, the inner ligaments of the eyelids) - tight closing of the eyelids;
 * pars palpebralis (in the eyelids) – reflex blink;
 * pars lacrimalis (surrounds the lacrimal sac - expands and compresses).

Musculus procerus

 * from the bridge of the nose through the root to the skin of the frontal landscape (affects the transverse furrow at the root of the nose)

Musculus corrugator supercilii

 * from the root of the nose to the "m. frontalis and m. orbicularis" - vertical wrinkles on the "glabella".

Muscle depressor supercilii

 * from the medial wall of the orbit to the skin of the eyebrows and forehead;
 * pulls the eyebrows mediocaudally

Musculus nasalis

 * pars nasalis - the back of the nose;
 * pars alaris - radiates to the wing of the nose.
 * Function: changes the lumen of the nostrils.

M. levator labii superioris alaque nasi - from the edge of the orbit along the nose to the wing of the nose and to the upper lip (pulls both up).

Cranial vault muscles

 * the so-called m. epicranius;
 * middle tendon helmet – galea aponeurotica – aponeurosi epicranialis, fused with the skin and weak sparse tissue attached to the periosteum of the calf → can be torn off (scalped);
 * from the frontal m. frontalis (venter frontalis);
 * from the landscape of the occipital m. occipitalis (venter occipitalis), both paired so-called m. occipitofrontalis.
 * to the side m. temporoparietalis (to the axilla).

Muscles of the auricle

 * m. auricularis anterior (from the temporal fascia);
 * m. auricularis superior (under m. temporoparietalis to gallea aponeurotica);
 * m. auricularis posterior from proc. mastoid.
 * Function: bolt movement.

Musculus buccinator

 * muscular base of the cheeks;
 * beginning: raphe pterygomandibularis (buccopharyngea) - tough ligament between hamulus pterygoideus to med. side of the mandible (body-shoulder border);
 * insertion: nodal point at the "m. orbicularis oris";
 * the outlet of the parotid salivary gland (ductus parotideus) + n. buccalis (sens. innervation of the mucous membrane of the face) passes through it;
 * function: presses the cheek against the gums (+ pushes out the contents of the oral vestibule).

Related Articles

 * Ocular muscles
 * Muscles of the Tongue
 * Muscles of the soft palate and pharyngeal isthmus
 * Muscles of the Pharynx
 * Muscles of the larynx
 * Middle ear muscles
 * Musculus risorius