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The buccinator muscle forms the cheeks. It is a thin, square-shaped muscle that runs from the cheekbone to the corner of the lips. The buccinator muscle compresses the cheek against the molar teeth, preventing them from getting bitten during chewing. It also helps to keep a bolus of food central in the oral cavity and prevents it from escaping into the oral vestibule. The buccinator muscle is also used for whistling and playing wind instruments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle | Buccinator |
| Location | Cheek |
| Function | Compressing the cheek against the molar teeth, preventing them from getting bitten during mastication, whistling, sucking air, and forming facial expressions |
| Parts | Superior, inferior, and posterior |
| Origin | The superior part originates from the alveolar process of maxilla, opposite the three maxillary molar teeth |
| The inferior part originates from the buccinator ridge of the mandible, opposite the three mandibular molar teeth | |
| The posterior part originates from the anterior margin of the pterygomandibular raphe behind the third mandibular molar | |
| Other Muscles Involved in Chewing | Masseter, Medial Pterygoid, Lateral Pterygoid, and Temporalis |
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What You'll Learn
The buccinator muscle compresses the cheek
The buccinator muscle forms the muscular basis of the cheek, filling the interval between the maxilla and mandible. It is a thin muscle in the cheek that holds it toward the teeth. The buccinator muscle compresses the cheek against the molar teeth and prevents them from getting bitten during mastication. It also helps to keep the bolus of food central in the oral cavity and prevents it from escaping into the oral vestibule.
The buccinator muscle is composed of three parts: superior, inferior, and posterior. The superior part originates from the alveolar process of the maxilla, opposite the three maxillary molar teeth. The inferior part originates from the buccinator ridge of the mandible, opposite the three mandibular molar teeth. The posterior part originates from the anterior margin of the pterygomandibular raphe behind the third mandibular molar. All three parts of the buccinator converge towards the angle of the mouth and fill the space between the upper and lower jaws.
At the angle of the mouth, the fibers of the buccinator blend with other facial muscles, including the orbicularis oris, risorius, depressor anguli oris, and zygomaticus major, forming the modiolus. The buccinator is innervated by the buccal branches of the facial nerve (CN VII) and vascularized mainly by the buccal branch of the maxillary artery.
The function of the buccinator muscle is not just limited to compressing the cheek. It also plays an important role in playing wind instruments or whistling, as it allows for the blowing of air from the inflated vestibule by compressing the cheeks.
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The masseter is the strongest muscle in the body
The masseter muscle is a powerful quadrangular muscle found in the human body that forms part of the cheeks. It is one of the muscles of mastication (chewing) and is responsible for the elevation of the mandible (closing of the jaw). The masseter is the strongest muscle in the human body, particularly in herbivores, to facilitate the chewing of plant matter.
The masseter muscle originates from the zygomatic arch and inserts along the angle and lateral surface of the mandibular ramus. It is composed of three heads: the superficial, deep, and coronoid. The superficial head is the larger of the three and arises from the zygomatic process of the maxilla, the temporal process of the zygomatic bone, and the anterior two-thirds of the inferior border of the zygomatic arch. Its fibres pass inferior and posterior, inserting into the angle of the mandible and the inferior half of the lateral surface of the ramus of the mandible.
The deep head of the masseter muscle is partly concealed by the superficial portion anteriorly and covered by the parotid gland posteriorly. Its tendon and muscle fibres run posterolaterally from the coronoid process of the mandible towards the posterior third of the zygomatic arch. The function of the deep head is believed to be the retraction and stabilization of the mandibular coronoid process.
The masseter muscle is innervated by the anterior division of the mandibular division (V3) of the trigeminal nerve, along with the other three muscles of mastication: the temporalis, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid. The blood supply to the masseter muscle is primarily provided by the masseteric artery, a branch of the internal maxillary artery, which originates from the external carotid artery behind the neck of the mandible.
The masseter muscle is essential for chewing and can generate significant force during jaw clenching or grinding. With all muscles of the jaw working together, it can close the teeth with a force of up to 55 pounds (25 kilograms) on the incisors or 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms) on the molars. This strength is attributed to the muscle's leverage, which allows it to grind down tough plant fibres with immense force.
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The mentalis helps make a variety of facial expressions
The human face has about 20 facial muscles that enable us to chew and make facial expressions. One of these muscles is the mentalis muscle, which is involved in making a variety of facial expressions. The mentalis muscle is a paired central muscle of the lower lip, situated at the tip of the chin. It originates from the incisive fossa of the mandible and inserts into the soft tissue and skin of the chin.
The contraction of the mentalis muscle causes wrinkling and dimpling of the skin on the chin, which is often associated with expressions of doubt, sorrow, contempt, or displeasure. This muscle elevates, everts, and protrudes the lower lip, contributing to the formation of a pout. It also pulls down the bottom lip, allowing us to sulk or express sorrow. The mentalis muscle is sometimes referred to as the "pouting muscle" due to its ability to raise the lower lip and create chin wrinkles.
The mentalis muscle works in conjunction with the orbicularis oris muscle, which surrounds the mouth. Together, these muscles enable us to pout or kiss by bringing our lips together. The mentalis muscle also plays a role in drinking, as it adjusts the shape of the lips to facilitate the intake of liquids.
In addition to its emotional expressions, the mentalis muscle can be affected by genetic movement disorders such as geniospasm, which involves the repetitive and involuntary contraction of the muscle. This condition can be treated with medications or, in some cases, by injecting botulinum toxin to temporarily paralyse the muscle and reduce chin wrinkling for cosmetic purposes.
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The risorius is used when smiling, laughing or pursing lips
The human face has about 20 facial muscles that enable us to chew and make facial expressions. One of these muscles is the risorius, which is a thin muscle that is used when smiling, laughing, or pursing one's lips. This muscle is part of the buccolabial group of muscles, which are found in and around the mouth. These muscles form a functional compound that controls the shape and movements of the mouth and lips.
The risorius is not the only muscle involved in smiling. The zygomaticus muscles, for example, also contract to draw the corners of the mouth upward and outward to create a smile. If the zygomaticus muscle splits at birth, it creates dimples. The levator anguli oris also helps to form a smile when working together with other muscles.
The buccinator muscle, which forms the muscular basis of the cheek, is another muscle that is involved in smiling. It fills the interval between the maxilla and mandible and is composed of three parts: superior, inferior, and posterior. The superior part originates from the alveolar process of the maxilla, opposite the three maxillary molar teeth. The inferior part originates from the buccinator ridge of the mandible, opposite the three mandibular molar teeth. The posterior part originates from the anterior margin of the pterygomandibular raphe behind the third mandibular molar. At the angle of the mouth, the fibres of the buccinator blend with other facial muscles, including the risorius.
The masseter is another muscle that is involved in smiling. It is the strongest muscle in the human body and is sometimes called the "pouting muscle". Contraction of the masseter raises and thrusts out the lower lip, allowing us to pout.
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The buccolabial group of muscles control the shape and movements of the mouth and lips
The human face has about 20 facial muscles that enable us to chew and make facial expressions. The buccolabial group of muscles, also known as the muscles of the mouth, is a broad group of muscles that control the shape and movements of the mouth and lips.
The buccolabial muscles are located in and around the mouth. One of the muscles in this group is the buccinator muscle, which forms the muscular basis of the cheek. It fills the space between the upper and lower jaws, running from the cheekbone to the corner of the lips. The buccinator muscle compresses the cheek against the molar teeth, preventing them from getting bitten during chewing. It also helps to keep the chewed food central in the oral cavity, preventing it from escaping into the oral vestibule. Additionally, the buccinator muscle is essential for playing wind instruments, whistling, and forming facial expressions.
The buccolabial group of muscles also includes the orbicularis oris muscle, which is the circular muscle around our mouth that enables us to pucker up for a kiss. The risorius muscle, also part of this group, is involved in smiling, laughing, or pursing the lips. The levator labii superioris is another muscle in this group that originates from the zygomatic process of the maxilla and maxillary process of the zygomatic bone. It attaches to the skin and submucosa of the upper lip, blending with other facial muscles.
The buccolabial muscles also contain the depressor anguli oris, which is located on the side of the chin and works with other muscles to produce a frown. The depressor labii inferioris, found in the chin, helps control the movement of the lower lip. The mentalis muscle, also known as the "pouting muscle," allows us to raise and thrust out the lower lip to pout, and it also pulls down the bottom lip, enabling us to sulk.
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Frequently asked questions
The buccinator muscle forms the muscular basis of the cheek. It fills the interval between the maxilla and mandible and is composed of three parts: superior, inferior, and posterior.
The buccinator muscle compresses the cheek against the molar teeth and prevents them from getting bitten during mastication. It also helps to keep the bolus of food central in the oral cavity and prevents it from escaping into the oral vestibule.
Yes, the masseter muscle runs from the cheek to the side of the jaw and helps the jaw close. The mentalis muscle also helps to form a variety of facial expressions by raising and lowering the bottom lip.
The buccinator muscle is important for playing wind instruments or whistling, as it allows air to be blown from the inflated vestibule by compressing the cheeks. It is also used to suck air and form facial expressions.
