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The human face is a complex landscape of muscles, bones, and nerves. Facial muscles, also known as mimetic muscles, are responsible for two primary functions: chewing and making facial expressions. These expressions can convey a range of emotions, including sadness, anger, joy, fear, disgust, and surprise. The facial nerve, or cranial nerve CN VII, controls these mimetic muscles and enables the intricate choreography of facial movements that give shape to our emotions. These muscles are located throughout the face, from the scalp to the neck, and their contractions create the unique expressions that are integral to human communication and interaction.
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What You'll Learn
- Mimetic muscles are controlled by the facial nerve, which has five main divisions
- The facial nerve (CN VII) innervates the mimetic muscles
- Mimetic muscles are involved in two roles: controlling the opening of orifices and forming facial expressions
- Mimetic muscles are considered extensions of the face's SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system)
- Mimetic muscles are involved in chewing (mastication) and making facial expressions
Mimetic muscles are controlled by the facial nerve, which has five main divisions
The human face has about 20 facial muscles that work together to control the parts of the face. These muscles are responsible for two major tasks: chewing and making facial expressions. Facial muscles are located throughout the face, including the ears, mouth, forehead, nose, and eyes.
The facial muscles that control facial expressions are also called mimetic muscles. These muscles are controlled by the facial nerve, which has five main divisions. The mimetic muscles are considered extensions of the face's superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). The SMAS is a musculofascial unit manipulated during facial cosmetic surgery, especially rhytidectomy. It extends from the platysma to the galea aponeurotica and is continuous with the temporoparietal fascia and galea.
The five main divisions of the facial nerve and the muscles they control are as follows:
- Temporal: The frontalis muscle of the forehead lifts the eyebrows.
- Anterior and superior auricular: These muscles move the ear forward and superiorly.
- Corrugator: This muscle on the brow draws the eyebrow downward and medially, producing the vertical wrinkle on the forehead at the bridge of the nose.
- Procerus: This muscle pulls the skin between the eyebrows downward, assists in flaring the nostrils, and helps create an angry expression.
- Zygomatic: These branches assist the zygomatic branches of the facial nerve with the orbicularis oculi, which closes the eyelids and contracts the skin around the eyes.
Other mimetic muscles include the risorius and levator angulii oris, which assist in smiling; the orbicularis, which encircles the mouth and is sometimes called the kissing muscle; the nasalis, which compresses the bridge of the nose and the nostrils; and the mentalis, which pulls the skin on the chin upwards.
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The facial nerve (CN VII) innervates the mimetic muscles
The human face has about 20 facial muscles, which are responsible for chewing and making facial expressions. These muscles are located throughout the face, including the ears, mouth, forehead, nose, and eyes. Facial muscles are also called mimetic muscles and are involved in two different roles: controlling the opening of the orifices and forming various facial expressions by moving the facial skin.
The five main divisions of the facial nerve and the muscles they control are as follows:
- Temporal: The frontalis muscle of the forehead lifts the eyebrows.
- Anterior and superior auricular: These muscles move the ear forward and superiorly.
- Corrugator: This muscle on the brow draws the eyebrow downward and medially, producing a vertical wrinkle on the forehead at the bridge of the nose.
- Procerus: This muscle pulls the skin between the eyebrows downward, assists in flaring the nostrils, and helps create an angry expression.
- Zygomatic: These branches assist the zygomatic branches of the facial nerve with the orbicularis oculi, which closes the eyelids and contracts the skin around the eyes.
The mandibular branch of the facial nerve (CN VII) also supplies nervous supply to the mentalis muscle, which is located in the chin area. This muscle acts to depress and evert the base of the lower lip, creating wrinkles on the skin of the chin.
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Mimetic muscles are involved in two roles: controlling the opening of orifices and forming facial expressions
The human face has about 20 facial muscles, also known as mimetic muscles, that are involved in two major roles: controlling the opening of orifices and forming facial expressions. Facial muscles are located throughout the face, including the ears, mouth, forehead, nose, and eyes. They run underneath the skin, from the scalp down to the neck, and are typically paired, with one muscle on the left side of the face and another on the right.
The facial nerve, or cranial nerve CN VII, controls the mimetic muscles and splits into five major branches within the parotid gland. These branches then exit the gland and travel to the mimetic muscles. The mimetic muscles are considered extensions of the face's superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS), which is a fascial plane deep to the subcutaneous tissue but superficial to the muscles of mastication. The SMAS extends from the neck platysma to the galea aponeurotica and temporoparietal fascia under the scalp.
The mimetic muscles involved in controlling the opening of orifices act as dilators or sphincters. For example, the orbicularis oris is a circular composite muscle that surrounds the mouth and forms the majority of the lips. It consists of two parts: labial and marginal, with the border between them corresponding to the margin between the lips and the surrounding skin. The buccinator, a thin muscle in the cheek, holds the cheek toward the teeth. The levator labii superioris alaeque nasi can open the nostrils and lift the upper lip.
The mimetic muscles are also responsible for forming various facial expressions by moving the facial skin. For example, the occipitofrontalis muscle (OFM) is the widest and largest muscle underlying the upper face and occipital area. During anxiety or surprise, the OFM contracts and produces transverse wrinkles on the forehead. The procerus pulls the skin between the eyebrows downward, assisting in flaring the nostrils and helping to create an angry expression. The risorius and levator anguli oris are muscles that assist in smiling. The orbicularis oris, sometimes called the kissing muscle, encircles the mouth, closes, and puckers the lips. The nasalis compresses the bridge of the nose and nostrils, and the buccal branches assist in pulling the mouth downwards for a frown.
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Mimetic muscles are considered extensions of the face's SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system)
The human face has about 20 facial muscles that work together to control the face and enable functions such as chewing and making facial expressions. The facial muscles are located throughout the face, including the ears, mouth, forehead, nose and eyes.
The mimetic muscles are the muscles that control facial expressions. They are controlled by the facial nerve, which has five main divisions. The mimetic muscles are considered extensions of the face's superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). The SMAS is a fascial plane deep within the subcutaneous tissue but superficial to the muscles of mastication. It runs from the neck platysma up to the galea aponeurotica and temporoparietal fascia under the scalp.
The frontalis muscle of the forehead lifts the eyebrows. The anterior and superior auricular muscles move the ear forward and superiorly. The corrugator muscle on the brow draws the eyebrow downward and medially, producing a vertical wrinkle on the forehead at the bridge of the nose. The procerus pulls the skin between the eyebrows downward, assists in flaring the nostrils and helps create an angry expression. The temporal branches assist the zygomatic branches of the facial nerve with the obicularis oculi, which closes the eyelids and contracts the skin around the eyes.
The orbicularis oris is a circular composite muscle that surrounds the mouth and forms the majority of the lips. The orbicularis also encircles the mouth, closes and puckers the lips and is sometimes called the kissing muscle. The nasalis compresses the bridge of the nose and the nostrils. The buccal branches also assist the mandibular branches in pulling the mouth downwards for a frown, by the depressor anguli oris, and pulling the lower lip down with the depressor labii inferioris.
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Mimetic muscles are involved in chewing (mastication) and making facial expressions
The human face has about 20 facial muscles, also known as mimetic muscles, that are involved in chewing (mastication) and making facial expressions. These muscles are controlled by the facial nerve, which has 5 main divisions. The facial nerve (cranial nerve or CN VII) innervates the mimetic muscles, while the trigeminal nerve's mandibular division (CN V3) innervates the muscles of mastication.
The mimetic muscles are considered extensions of the face's superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). The SMAS is a musculofascial unit that is manipulated during facial cosmetic surgery, especially rhytidectomy. It extends from the platysma to the galea aponeurotica and is continuous with the temporoparietal fascia and galea. The facial muscles are located within the superficial fascia or subcutaneous tissue layer of the face. They originate from bone or fascia and insert into the skin.
The mimetic muscles involved in mastication include the lateral pterygoid, masseter, and temporalis muscles. The lateral pterygoid is a fan-shaped muscle that helps open the jaw, while the masseter and temporalis muscles help close the jaw. The pterygoid muscles also move the mandible anteroposteriorly, laterally, and medially.
The mimetic muscles involved in making facial expressions include the frontalis, corrugator, procerus, orbicularis oculi, zygomaticus major, zygomaticus minor, levator labii, orbicularis oris, risorius, buccinator, depressor anguli oris, depressor labii inferioris, levator anguli oris, levator labii superioris, levator labii superioris alaeque nasi, mentalis, nasalis, and auricular muscles. These muscles are responsible for expressions such as smiling, frowning, pouting, raising eyebrows, opening nostrils, and more.
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Frequently asked questions
Mimetic muscles are the muscles that control facial expressions. They are considered extensions of the face's superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS).
Examples of mimetic muscles include the frontalis muscle of the forehead, the orbicularis oculi, the procerus, the risorius, the levator angulii oris, and the nasalis.
Mimetic muscles are responsible for producing various facial expressions such as sadness, anger, joy, fear, disgust, and surprise. They are controlled by the facial nerve, which has five main divisions.
