
The temporalis muscle is one of the four muscles of mastication, which are a group of muscles associated with the movement of the jaw. The other three muscles are the masseter, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid muscles. The temporalis muscle is a fan-shaped muscle that fills the temporal fossa, a shallow depression on the lateral aspect of the skull. It is covered by the temporal fascia, also known as the temporal aponeurosis, which can be harvested and used in tympanoplasty or myringoplasty to repair a perforated tympanic membrane. The muscle receives its blood supply from the deep temporal arteries and is innervated by the mandibular nerve (V3), a branch of the trigeminal nerve.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Shape | Fan-shaped |
| Muscle fibres | Anterior fibres have a vertical orientation, mid fibres have an oblique orientation, and posterior fibres have a horizontal orientation |
| Origin | Temporal fossa, a shallow depression on the lateral aspect of the skull |
| Innervation | Deep temporal branches of the mandibular nerve |
| Blood supply | Deep temporal arteries |
| Function | Elevation, depression, protrusion, retraction, and side-to-side movement of the mandible |
| Location | Temporal fossa of the skull, covered by the temporal fascia |
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What You'll Learn
- The temporalis muscle is one of the four muscles of mastication, along with the masseter, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid muscles
- It is a fan-shaped muscle that fills the temporal fossa, a shallow depression on the skull
- The temporalis muscle receives innervation from the deep temporal branches of the mandibular nerve, which is a motor nerve
- It contributes to grinding movements by moving the mandible from side to side and is involved in the elevation and retraction of the mandible
- The muscle is covered by tough fascia, which can be used in tympanoplasty or myringoplasty to repair a perforated eardrum

The temporalis muscle is one of the four muscles of mastication, along with the masseter, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid muscles
The temporalis muscle is indeed one of the four muscles of mastication, along with the masseter, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid muscles. These muscles are responsible for the movement of the jaw, or mandible, during the process of chewing food.
The temporalis muscle is a fan-shaped muscle that fills the temporal fossa, a shallow depression on the lateral aspect of the skull. It is covered by the temporal fascia, also known as the temporal aponeurosis, which can be harvested for use in surgical procedures such as tympanoplasty or myringoplasty. The muscle receives its blood supply from the deep temporal arteries, which anastomose with the middle temporal artery.
The temporalis muscle fibres converge inferiorly, forming a tendon that exits the temporal fossa and inserts onto the coronoid process of the mandible. This tendon passes underneath the zygomatic arch, with the muscle's deep part originating from the arch itself. The muscle is supplied by the deep temporal nerve, a branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve (CN V3), which is a subdivision of the trigeminal nerve.
The temporalis muscle has three types of fibres: anterior, mid, and posterior. The anterior fibres are vertically oriented and are responsible for opposing gravity when the mouth is closed. The mid fibres have an oblique orientation, while the posterior fibres are horizontally oriented and contribute to the retraction and side-to-side grinding movement of the mandible.
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It is a fan-shaped muscle that fills the temporal fossa, a shallow depression on the skull
The temporalis muscle is one of the four main muscles of mastication (chewing food). It is a fan-shaped muscle that fills the temporal fossa, a shallow depression on the skull. The muscle is covered by tough fascia, which can be harvested surgically and used to repair a perforated tympanic membrane (an operation known as a myringoplasty or tympanoplasty). The temporalis muscle is accessible on the temples and can be seen and felt contracting when the jaw is clenching and unclenching.
The temporalis muscle fibres converge inferiorly, forming a tendon that exits the temporal fossa and passes underneath the zygomatic arch. The muscle then inserts onto the coronoid process of the mandible, with its insertion extending into the retromolar fossa posterior to the most distal mandibular molar. The anterior fibres of the muscle have a vertical orientation, the mid fibres have an oblique orientation, and the posterior fibres are more horizontal. The contraction of the posterior fibres produces a retraction of the mandible, pulling the jaw backwards. The temporalis muscle also contributes to grinding movements by moving the mandible from side to side.
The temporalis muscle is innervated by the deep temporal branches of the mandibular nerve (CN V3), which is a branch of the trigeminal nerve. The muscle receives its blood supply from the deep temporal arteries, which anastomose with the middle temporal artery. The medial pterygoid muscle, which is also a muscle of mastication, is located inferiorly to the temporalis muscle. It has a quadrangular shape with two heads: deep and superficial.
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The temporalis muscle receives innervation from the deep temporal branches of the mandibular nerve, which is a motor nerve
The temporalis muscle is a fan-shaped muscle that fills the temporal fossa, with anterior fibres that have a vertical orientation, mid fibres that have an oblique orientation, and posterior fibres that have a horizontal orientation. It is one of the muscles of mastication (chewing) and is situated on each side of the head. The temporalis muscle fibres converge inferiorly, forming a tendon that exits the temporal fossa, passing underneath the zygomatic arch and inserting onto the coronoid process of the mandible.
The temporalis muscle is the strongest muscle of the temporomandibular joint and the primary retractor of the mandible. The contraction of the posterior fibres of the temporalis muscle results in the backward movement of the mandible (retrusion). The contraction of its anterior fibres moves the mandible dorsocranially (elevation), facilitating the closing of the mouth and the approximation of the teeth. The unilateral contraction of the temporalis muscle also plays an important role in the side-to-side movement of the jaw.
The temporalis muscle receives its blood supply from the deep temporal branches of the maxillary artery and middle temporal branches of the superficial temporal artery. It is supplied by the deep temporal nerves, which are branches of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve. The mandibular nerve is the only division of the trigeminal nerve that carries motor fibres. The mandibular nerve (CN V3) further subdivides as it innervates the four main muscles of mastication. Thus, the temporalis muscle receives innervation from the deep temporal branches of the mandibular nerve, which is a motor nerve.
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It contributes to grinding movements by moving the mandible from side to side and is involved in the elevation and retraction of the mandible
The temporalis muscle is a fan-shaped muscle that fills the temporal fossa of the skull. It is one of the four main muscles of mastication, along with the medial pterygoid, lateral pterygoid, and masseter muscles. These muscles are responsible for the movement of the mandible or jaw, which is essential for chewing food.
The temporalis muscle contributes to grinding movements by moving the mandible from side to side. This side-to-side movement, also known as rotation, is one of the cardinal mandibular movements of mastication, along with elevation, depression, protrusion, and retraction. The anterior and mid-fibers of the temporalis muscle function to elevate the mandible, while the posterior fibers retract the mandible, pulling it backward.
The medial pterygoid and lateral pterygoid muscles also assist with the side-to-side movement of the mandible, which helps with grinding food. The medial pterygoid is a thick rectangular muscle with a superficial head and a deep head. It assists with the elevation and protrusion of the mandible. The lateral pterygoid, on the other hand, is a triangular or short thick muscle with two heads and functions as the sole muscle of mastication to cause depression of the mandible.
The masseter muscle is also involved in the movement of the mandible. It is a strong, rectangularly shaped muscle with three layers: superficial, deep, and intermediate. It elevates the mandible and approximates the teeth. Additionally, the intermediate and deep muscle fibers of the masseter help in retracting the mandible.
The muscles of mastication are innervated by motor fibers of the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V3). They receive their arterial supply from branches of the maxillary artery. Dysfunction in these muscles can lead to conditions such as bruxism, or teeth grinding, and trismus, or lockjaw.
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The muscle is covered by tough fascia, which can be used in tympanoplasty or myringoplasty to repair a perforated eardrum
The temporalis muscle is one of the muscles of mastication, or chewing. It is a fan-shaped muscle that fills the temporal fossa, with anterior fibres that are vertically oriented, mid fibres that are oblique, and posterior fibres that are horizontally oriented. The temporalis muscle fibres converge inferiorly, forming a tendon that exits the temporal fossa and inserts onto the coronoid process of the mandible. The temporalis muscle is innervated by the deep temporal nerve, a branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve. It contributes to the retraction of the mandible and side-to-side grinding movements.
The temporalis muscle is covered by tough fascia, a connective tissue that can be used in tympanoplasty or myringoplasty to repair a perforated eardrum. Tympanoplasty is a surgical procedure used to treat ruptured eardrums, or tympanic membrane perforations, which can result from ear injuries, infections, or foreign objects. During tympanoplasty, a graft or patch is created from the temporalis fascia to repair the hole in the eardrum. The graft is held in place with foam until the eardrum heals, which can take several weeks.
Myringoplasty is a similar procedure used to repair small perforations in the eardrum. If myringoplasty fails or the hole is too large, tympanoplasty is typically performed instead. In both procedures, the tough fascia from the temporalis muscle is used as graft material due to its strength and compatibility with the eardrum. This natural graft material integrates with the body and resists retraction, making it an effective choice for repairing perforated eardrums.
It is important to repair a perforated eardrum as it can lead to hearing loss, chronic infections, and dizziness. A hole in the eardrum reduces the surface area available to collect sound, resulting in hearing loss that is proportional to the size of the perforation. Additionally, the exposed middle ear becomes susceptible to repeated water entry and bacterial or fungal growth, leading to chronic infections.
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Frequently asked questions
The temporalis muscle is a fan-shaped muscle that fills the temporal fossa, a shallow depression on the lateral aspect of the skull. It is one of the four primary muscles of mastication (chewing food).
The temporalis muscle is located in the temporal fossa of the skull, which is covered by the temporal fascia, also known as the temporal aponeurosis. It is accessible on the temples and can be seen and felt contracting when the jaw is clenched or unclenched.
The temporalis muscle contributes to the movement of the jaw (mandible). It helps in the elevation, retraction, and side-to-side grinding movement of the mandible.
The temporalis muscle is controlled by the third (mandibular) branch of the trigeminal nerve, specifically the deep temporal nerves. It receives its blood supply from the deep temporal arteries, which anastomose with the middle temporal artery.











































