Logan Steele
The buccinator muscle is a thin, quadrilateral facial muscle that forms the anterior part of the cheek or the lateral wall of the oral cavity. It is located deep within the facial muscles, and its main function is to provide structure and tightness to the cheeks. The buccinator muscle is also involved in mastication, articulation, and deglutition, and plays a role in various facial expressions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Shape | Thin and quadrilateral |
| Type of Muscle | Facial |
| Location | Between the maxilla and the mandible at the side of the face |
| Function | Compresses the cheeks and expels air between the lips, involved in mastication, articulation, and deglutition |
| Blood Supply | Buccal, facial, and posterosuperior alveolar arteries |
| Innervation | Buccal branches of the facial nerve |
| Artery | Facial artery |
| Vein | Facial vein |
| Nerve | Buccal nerve |
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What You'll Learn
The buccinator muscle is a facial muscle
The buccinator muscle is responsible for several functions. Firstly, it compresses the cheeks against the molar teeth, preventing the cheeks from being bitten during chewing or mastication. This compression also helps to keep food boluses in the centre of the oral cavity, preventing them from escaping into the oral vestibule. Secondly, the buccinator muscle assists in swallowing, blowing, and sucking. It coordinates with the orbicularis oris and superior constrictor muscles during these actions. Thirdly, the buccinator is involved in various facial expressions, such as whistling, blowing kisses, and sucking on a lemon. It also contributes to the formation of smiles and pouts, allowing for nonverbal communication.
The buccinator muscle has multiple origin points, which form the basis for subdividing its fibres into superior, inferior, and posterior parts. The muscle fibres originate from three areas: the maxilla, the mandible, and the anterior border of the pterygomandibular raphe. The muscle receives its blood supply from the facial artery and its sensory innervation from the long buccal nerve, a branch of the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve.
The buccinator muscle is an important structure in cosmetic procedures, as it is a target for treatments to reduce facial wrinkles and improve the appearance of sunken cheeks. Additionally, the buccinator is involved in playing wind instruments, as it expels air from the distended cheeks. This function has earned it the nickname "trumpet muscle".
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It is responsible for compressing the cheeks
The buccinator muscle is a thin, quadrilateral-shaped facial muscle that is the main component of the cheek. It is sometimes referred to as an accessory mastication muscle as it coordinates with the orbicularis oris and superior constrictor muscle during swallowing, mastication, blowing, and sucking.
The buccinator muscle is responsible for compressing the cheeks and expelling air between the lips, such as when blowing a trumpet. It is also involved in mastication and holding food in the mouth while chewing. Additionally, it plays a role in various facial expressions, such as whistling, blowing a kiss, or sucking on a lemon.
The muscle contracts gradually while closing the mouth and relaxes when the mouth opens. These actions maintain cheek tension, preventing buccal mucosal injury. The buccinator also helps retain and stabilize complete dentures.
The buccinator muscle is activated during mandibular movements like protrusion and retrusion, aiding in completing these actions. Studies also reveal that the buccinator helps regulate parotid secretion, having small fibers inserted in the distal portion of the parotid duct. The buccinator derives from the 2nd pharyngeal arch (hyoid arch).
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It is involved in mastication and swallowing
The buccinator muscle is a thin, quadrilateral muscle occupying the interval between the maxilla and the mandible at the side of the face. It is the main component of the cheeks, providing structure and
The buccinator muscle is involved in mastication and swallowing. During mastication, the buccinator muscle compresses the cheeks against the molar teeth, helping to keep the food bolus central in the oral cavity and preventing the cheeks from being bitten. It also assists the tongue in keeping the bolus of food central in the oral cavity, preventing it from escaping into the oral vestibule. This function is important during swallowing, as it stops food from accumulating in the buccal pouches and pushes it back into the oral cavity.
The buccinator muscle is sometimes referred to as an accessory mastication muscle as it coordinates with the orbicularis oris and superior constrictor muscle during swallowing, mastication, blowing, and sucking. The muscle thickens the cheek, acting as a muscular hydrostat, and this thickening enables the cheek to push food boluses toward the tongue. The buccinator muscle is activated during mandibular movements, aiding in completing actions like protrusion and retrusion.
Studies have found that the buccinator muscle is strongly active during mastication and swallowing, with pressure rising in conjunction with EMG as the jaw closes. The muscle is also active during other oral functions, including sucking, blowing, smiling, and speech, generally in association with the orbicularis oris muscle.
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It is innervated by the buccal branch of the facial nerve
The buccinator muscle is a thin, quadrilateral muscle that forms the anterior part of the cheek or the lateral wall of the oral cavity. It is the main component of the cheek, providing it with structure and tightness. The buccinator muscle is also sometimes referred to as the "trumpet muscle" or the "trumpeter's muscle" because it is the main muscle involved in playing wind instruments, as it expels air from the distended cheeks.
The buccinator muscle is innervated by the buccal branch of the facial nerve. The facial nerve conveys motor information to the buccinator muscle. The buccal branch of the facial nerve runs horizontally to pass below the orbit and around the mouth. The buccal nerve has a superficial and deep branch. The superficial branch passes between the skin and the superficial muscles of the face, supplying and innervating the muscles at this site. The deep branches pass under the levator labii superioris and the zygomaticus major, innervating them and forming an infraorbital plexus with the superior labial branches, which arise from the infraorbital nerve. The deep branches also innervate the zygomaticus minor, levator anguli oris, and the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi.
The buccal nerve is a sensory nerve of the face arising from the mandibular nerve, which is a branch of the trigeminal nerve. The buccal nerve conveys sensory information from the skin of the cheek, parts of the oral mucosa, periodontium, and gingiva. It provides sensory innervation to the skin of the cheek, the buccal mucosa, buccal periodontium, and gingiva of mandibular/lower molar and second premolar teeth.
The buccal branch of the facial nerve also innervates other muscles, including the levator labii, anguli oris, and orbicularis oris.
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It is supplied blood by the facial artery
The buccinator muscle is a thin, quadrilateral muscle that forms the anterior part of the cheek or the lateral wall of the oral cavity. It is the main component of the cheek, providing it with structure and
The buccinator muscle is supplied blood by the facial artery, which supplies the posterior, inferior, and anterior parts of the muscle via its numerous branches. The posterior aspect of the muscle is supplied by the posterior buccal branch, the largest facial artery segment. The inferior portion of the buccinator is supplied by the inferior buccal branches of the facial artery, which then run anterosuperiorly to give off anterior buccal branches that supply the anterior aspect of the muscle.
The facial artery is not the only source of blood supply to the buccinator muscle. The buccal artery, a branch of the maxillary artery, also supplies the buccinator. The buccal artery runs anteroinferiorly, either superficially or deep, to the lateral pterygoid muscle to reach the posterior aspect of the buccinator. The posterosuperior alveolar artery, another branch of the maxillary artery, also supplies the buccinator posterosuperiorly. These vessels, along with the facial artery, form an extensive anastomosis on the muscle's lateral surface and within its fibres.
The veins draining the buccinator empty into the pterygoid plexus and internal maxillary vein. The buccinator's sensory innervation comes from the long buccal nerve, a branch of the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve. The motor innervation of the muscle is via the temporal and cervical divisions of the facial nerve.
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Frequently asked questions
The buccinator muscle is located deep within the facial muscles, above the medial pterygoid on both sides of the face. It is the main component of the cheeks.
The buccinator muscle compresses the cheeks and expels air between the lips. It is also involved in mastication and holding food in the mouth while chewing. Additionally, it plays a role in various facial expressions, such as whistling, blowing a kiss, or sucking on a lemon.
The name buccinator is related to blowing a trumpet. The muscle puffs out the cheeks, hence it is also referred to as the "trumpeter's muscle" or trumpet muscle.
