Temporalis muscle

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Temporalis muscle

The Temporalis; the zygomatic arch and Masseter have been removed.
Latin	musculus temporalis
Gray's	subject #109 386
Origin:	temporal lines on the parietal bone of the skull.
Insertion:	coronoid process of the mandible.
Artery:	deep temporal
Nerve:	third branch (mandibular nerve) of the trigeminal nerve
Action:	elevation and retraction of mandible
Antagonist:	Platysma muscle
Dorlands/Elsevier	m_22/12551069

The temporalis muscle is one of the muscles of mastication.

1 Structure
2 Innervation
3 Actions
4 Additional images
5 External links

[edit] Structure

It arises from the temporal fossa and the deep part of temporal fascia. It inserts onto the coronoid process of the mandible.

The temporalis muscle is covered by the temporal fascia, also known as the temporal aponeurosis.

The muscle can be felt if one places their fingers on their temples (on the sides of their head, just behind the eyebrows), while clenching and unclenching their teeth.

[edit] Innervation

As with the other muscles of mastication, control of the temporalis muscle comes from the third (mandibular) branch of the trigeminal nerve. Specifically, the temporalis is innervated by the deep temporal nerves.

[edit] Actions

Contraction of the temporalis muscle elevates the mandible. The somewhat horizontal fibers of the posterior part of the muscle retract the mandible.

[edit] Additional images

Muscles of head and neck	Frontal bone. Outer surface.	Sphenoid bone. Anterior and inferior surfaces.	Mandible. Outer surface. Side view.
Mandible. Inner surface. Side view.	Mandibular division of the trifacial nerve.