Maximus Gage
The human face is made up of about 20 muscles that enable a wide range of facial expressions. These muscles are located just under the skin and are responsible for pulling the skin to form expressions. Facial muscles are also responsible for chewing and other functions like opening and closing the eyelids. These muscles are supplied by the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) and are commonly referred to as mimetic muscles. The inability to move these muscles can be a symptom of nerve damage or paralysis.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of facial muscles | 20 |
| Type of muscles | Flat skeletal muscles |
| Location | Underneath the skin of the face and scalp |
| Origin | Bone or fascia |
| Insertion | Skin |
| Function | Chewing and making facial expressions |
| Blood supply | Facial artery |
| Innervation | Facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) |
| Groups | Auricular, buccolabial, orbital, nasal, oral |
| Distinctive muscle structure | Palpebral and orbital |
| Strongest muscle | Masseter |
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What You'll Learn
Facial muscles are part of the skeletal system
The human face has about 20 flat skeletal muscles, also known as craniofacial muscles, that are essential for chewing and making facial expressions. These muscles are part of the skeletal (or musculoskeletal) system and attach to different places on the skull. They are the only group of muscles that insert into the skin. Facial muscles work together to control movements such as smiling, grinning, frowning, and chewing.
Facial muscles can be divided into groups based on their location on the face. The auricular muscles are around the ears, and they allow some people to move their ears, usually during smiling and yawning. The buccolabial muscles are in and around the mouth. For example, the buccinator, a thin muscle in the cheek, puffs out the cheeks and prevents food from passing to the outer surface of the teeth during chewing. The depressor anguli oris is a triangular muscle situated on each side of the chin and works with other muscles to produce a frown. The nasal group of facial muscles are associated with movements of the nose and the skin surrounding it. The nasalis is the largest of the nasal muscles and is composed of two parts: transverse and alar.
The orbital muscles surround the eyes. For example, the corrugator supercilii is near the eyebrow and enables frowning. The eyelids are formed by the palpebral and orbital muscles, with the palpebral area at the centre of this sphincter muscle and the orbital region encasing it concentrically. The large muscle of the forehead is sometimes omitted in facial reconstruction because it is thin and does not significantly contribute to the overall contours of the face.
Facial muscles are supplied by the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), with each nerve serving one side of the face. The facial nerve is responsible for controlling facial expressions, and damage to it can result in facial paralysis on the affected side. The stylohyoid muscle, stapedius, and posterior belly of the digastric muscle are also supplied by the facial nerve but are not considered muscles of facial expression.
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They control facial expressions
The human face is capable of a wide range of expressions, from smiles to frowns, and this is all down to the muscles of our faces. These muscles are part of the musculoskeletal system, and they contain elastic fibres that allow them to contract. When they contract, the muscles pull on the skin, causing it to move and form expressions.
There are about 20 facial muscles, and they can be divided into groups based on their location. The auricular muscles are around the ears, and they allow some people to move their ears, usually during smiling and yawning. The buccolabial muscles are in and around the mouth, and they control the shape and movements of the mouth and lips. For example, the buccinator muscle, a thin, square-shaped muscle, pulls the cheek inwards against the teeth, preventing food from entering that area. The depressor anguli oris muscle is triangular and situated on each side of the chin. It acts to depress the angle of the mouth, which is how we express sadness or anger. The zygomaticus major is a thin muscle that extends diagonally to the angle of the mouth, and it enables smiling or showing disgust.
The orbital muscles surround the eyes, and include the corrugator supercilii, which enables frowning, and the orbicularis oculi, which opens and closes the eyelids, allowing us to blink, wink or squint. The oral muscles can become paralysed if the facial nerve is dysfunctional, and this can cause difficulty eating, with food collecting between the teeth and cheeks.
The facial muscles are innervated by the facial nerve (CN VII) and vascularised by the facial artery. They are the only group of muscles that attach to the dermis.
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There are about 20 facial muscles
The human face is made up of about 20 muscles, which are part of the skeletal or musculoskeletal system. These muscles are responsible for two major tasks: chewing (or mastication) and making facial expressions. Facial expressions are an important means of non-verbal communication, allowing us to express emotions such as surprise, disgust, anger, and fear.
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 positioned around facial openings, stretching across the skull and neck. These muscles are typically paired, with one on the left side of the face and one on the right.
The muscles of the face can be divided into several groups based on their location and function. The orbital muscles surround the eyes, and include the corrugator supercilii, which enables frowning, and the orbicularis oculi, which opens and closes the eyelids, allowing us to blink, wink, or squint. The auricular muscles are found around the ears and allow some people to move their ears, usually during smiling and yawning.
The buccolabial or buccal muscles are located in and around the mouth. These include the buccinator, a thin, square-shaped muscle that holds the cheek toward the teeth and prevents food from accumulating in that area. The buccolabial group also includes the depressor anguli oris, which depresses the angle of the mouth, contributing to expressions of sadness or anger, and the levator labii superioris, which enables smiling or expressing disgust.
The facial muscles are innervated by the facial nerve (CN VII) and vascularized by the facial artery. They are the only group of muscles that attach to the dermis or skin. When the facial nerve is dysfunctional, the oral muscles can become paralysed, leading to difficulties in eating, with food collecting between the teeth and cheeks.
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Facial muscles enable movements like smiling, grinning and frowning
The human face has about 20 flat skeletal muscles, also known as craniofacial muscles, that attach to different places on the skull. These muscles are essential for chewing and making facial expressions, such as smiling, grinning, and frowning.
The muscles that control facial expressions can be divided into groups based on their location on the face. For example, the buccolabial muscles are in and around the mouth and enable movements such as smiling, grinning, and frowning. The depressor anguli oris, a triangular muscle found on each side of the chin, works with other muscles to produce a frown. The levator labii superioris and levator anguli oris help to form a smile. The risorius, or the "smile" muscle, pulls the corners of the mouth outward and forms dimples in the cheeks.
The orbital muscles surround the eyes and can also contribute to expressions like frowning. The corrugator supercilii, located near the eyebrow, enables frowning. The procerus muscle acts on its superior attachment to depress the medial ends of the eyebrows and wrinkle the skin between them, creating a frown that conveys emotions like anger or sorrow.
The auricular muscles are located around the ears and allow some people to move their ears. These muscles are involved in smiling and yawning, pulling the auricle anteriorly, posteriorly, or superiorly.
The specific location and attachments of these facial muscles enable them to produce a wide range of facial expressions. They receive signals from the brain via the facial nerve (CN VII) and work together to control movements in the face, allowing us to convey a variety of emotions through our smiles, grins, and frowns.
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Damage to the facial nerve results in paralysis of the muscles
The human face has about 20 muscles that enable essential functions such as chewing and making facial expressions. These muscles are innervated by the facial nerve (CN VII) and vascularized by the facial artery.
Damage to the facial nerve can result in paralysis of the facial muscles, a condition known as facial paralysis. Facial paralysis is characterised by the inability to move the muscles on one or both sides of the face. The symptoms of facial paralysis include difficulty eating, sagging tissue around the mouth and cheeks, and an inability to make various facial movements such as opening and closing the eyes, smiling, squinting, or raising the eyebrows.
There are several causes of facial paralysis, including Bell's palsy, middle ear infection, skull fracture, autoimmune diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis), head, neck, or brain tumours, Lyme disease, and Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Bell's palsy, in particular, is characterised by an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis, often accompanied by pain and discomfort on one side of the face or head. It is believed to be caused by inflammation triggered by the body's immune system, which directs it against the nerve controlling facial movement.
Treatment options for facial paralysis include non-surgical methods such as corticosteroids, antivirals, botox injections, physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. Surgical interventions may also be considered, including nerve transfers, tendon transfers, muscle transplants, tumour removal surgery, and cosmetic surgery to restore facial balance and symmetry.
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Frequently asked questions
Your face has about 20 muscles that enable you to chew and make facial expressions. They are located throughout your face, including your ears, mouth, forehead, nose and eyes.
The muscles around the mouth are called the buccolabial muscles. They form a functional compound that controls the shape and movements of the mouth and lips.
The buccinator muscle is a thin, square-shaped muscle located between the mandible and maxilla. Its function is to puff out the cheeks and prevent food from passing to the outer surface of the teeth during chewing.
The depressor anguli oris is a triangular muscle situated on each side of the chin. It acts to depress the angle of the mouth, contributing to expressions of sadness or anger. It also assists in opening the mouth during speaking or eating.
