Information on the muscular structure and movement of the face, head and neck.

 

Buccinator
The buccinator is a muscle of the cheek. It is responsible for compressing the cheek and is important in mastication.

Action
Presses the teeth against the teeth and lips, facilitating actions such as blowing, sucking, and whistling. Also assists with mastication (chewing).

Corrugator
The Corrugator supercilii is a small, pyramidal muscle of facial expression located at the inner extremity of the eyebrow and beneath the occipito-frontalis and orbicularis palpebrarum muscles on each side of the face.

Action
Affects facial expression by moving skin tissues in the area around the corrugator supercilii muscles just above the eyes.

Depressor anguli oris
The depressor anguli oris (also known as the triangularis menti) is a small triangular muscle of facial expression located in the lower-jaw area of the face on both sides of the chin / lower-mouth.

Action
Affects facial expression by moving skin tissues in the area of the lower jaw.

Depressor labii inferioris
The depressor labii inferioris (also known as the Quadratus menti) is a small quadrilateral muscle located in the lower-jaw area of the face on both sides of the chin / lower-mouth.

Action
Affects facial expression by moving skin tissues in the area of the lower jaw.


Epicranial aponeurosis
The epicranial aponeurosis (also known as "epicranius"), is the muscle of the scalp.

Action
The frontal portion of this muscle/tissue lies across the forehead and raises the eyebrows and wrinkles the forehead. The occipital portion of this muscle is located at the base of the skull and draws the scalp backwards.

Frontalis
The frontalis (sometimes also referred to as the "frontal portion") is a thin quadrilateral muscle that is intimately adherent to the superficial fascia.

Action
Draws the scalp forward, raises eyebrows, and wrinkles the skin of the forehead horizontally.

Levator anguli oris
The levator anguli oris is a facial muscle located just above the upper-lip, on each side of the face.

Action
Raises the skin tissue upwards from the corners of the mouth.

Levator labii superioris
The levator labii superioris (also sometimes known as the proprius - especially in some older textbooks) is a thin facial muscle of a quadrilateral form located between the upper lip and the lower orbit of the eye on each side of the face.

Action
Raises facial skin tissue upwards from the upper lip on either (or both) sides of the face.

Levator palpebrae superioris
The levator palpebrae superioris is a thin, flat, triangular-shaped facial muscle located on the medial eye-lid on each side of the face.

Action
Movement of the eyelid.

Masseter
The masseter is a facial muscle located in the cheek area on each side of the face.

Action
Elevates the mandible (e.g. as when closing the mouth) and also retracts (draws back) the mandible. 
 
Mentalis
The mentalis is a facial muscle located at about the most pronounced part of the chin on each side of the face.

Nasalis
The nasalis is a facial muscle located on either side of the nose (which is sometimes referred to as the "nares").

Omohyoid
The omohyoid is a neck muscle that passes across the side of the neck from the scapula to the hyoid bone. It consists of two fleshy bellies united by a central tendon.

Action
Depresses the hyoid bone and carries it backwards and the the side.

Orbicularis oculi
The Orbicularis oculi are circular muscles around the orbit of each eye.

Action
Responsible for closing the eye(s).

Orbicularis oris
The Orbicularis oris is a circular muscle around the mouth. It is not a sphincter muscle, but consists of numerous strata of muscle fibres, having different directions, which surround the orifice of the mouth.

Action
Closes and compresses the lips.

Platysma
The platysma is a thin sheet of muscle positioned between the collar bone and the jaw, whose action is to depress the jaw. Accidens happen.

Action
Draws outer part of lower lip downward and backward as in pouting; depresses mandible.

Scalenes
The scalenes (sing. scalenus) are muscles in the neck. They include four paired muscles named the following :- Scalenus anterior, Scalenus medius, Scalenus minimus, Scalenus posterior.

Action
Together they extend from the cervical vertebrae down to the first and second ribs. They raise the first and second ribs during inspiration, and they can bend the neck both forwards, and to each side.

Sternocleidomastoid
The sternocleidomastoid (also known as the "sternomastoid") is a long muscle in the neck.

Action
Rotates the neck and flex the head.

Sternohyoid
The sternohyoid is muscle located in the centre of the anterior neck.

Action
Depresses the hyoid bone.

Temporalis
The temporalis is a facial muscle of which one is located on either side of the head - slightly above and forward of each ear.

Action
Elevates and retracts the mandile (jaw bone).
 
 
Thyroid Cartilage or Adams apple
Thyroid Cartilage is a collection of tissues located at the centre anterior neck.

Trapezius
The trapezius is a flat triangular muscle covering the back of the neck and shoulder.

Action
Stabilises the scapula, Pulls the scapula towards the spine, Some elevation, rotation, and adduction of the scapula, Some extension and rotation of the neck.

Zygomaticus major
The Zygomaticus major muscles are located in the cheek and extend from the ears across the face almost as far as the nearest corner of the mouth.

Action
Draws the angle of the mouth upward and outward, for example as when laughing or smiling.

Zygomaticus minor
The Zygomaticus Mminor muscles are located in the cheek and extend across the face in a similar position to the Zygomaticus major muscle.
 
Action
Draws the angle of the mouth upward and outward, for example as when laughing or smiling.