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The lateral pterygoid muscle (or external pterygoid muscle) is a muscle of mastication. It has two heads. It lies superior to the medial pterygoid muscle. It is supplied by pterygoid branches of the maxillary artery, and the lateral pterygoid nerve (from the mandibular nerve, CN V 3). It depresses and protrudes the mandible. When each muscle ...
The four classical muscles of mastication elevate the mandible (closing the jaw) and move it forward/backward and laterally, facilitating biting and chewing. Other muscles are responsible for opening the jaw, namely the geniohyoid, mylohyoid, and digastric muscles (the lateral pterygoid may play a role).
Diagram showing left medial and lateral pterygoid muscles. Part of the zygomatic arch and the ramus of the mandible have been cut away. The pterygomandibular space lies between the lateral surface of medial pterygoid and the medial surface of the mandibular ramus.
The lateral pterygoid muscle, auriculotemporal nerve, and the maxillary artery and maxillary vein are situated laterally to the SML (the vessels and nerve coursing betwixt the SML, and the neck of the mandibular condyle [1] [3]). [1] The chorda tympani nerve is situated medially to the SML [1] near its upper end. [citation needed]
Lateral movements – Medial and lateral pterygoid (the ipsilateral temporalis and the pterygoid muscles of the contralateral side pull the mandible to the ipsilateral side). [ 36 ] Each lateral pterygoid muscle is composed of 2 heads, the upper or superior head and the lower or inferior head.
The nerve passes deep to the neck of the mandible [1] - between it and the sphenomandibular ligament [2]: 364 - andthen courses deep to the lateral pterygoid muscle. [1] It issues parotid branches and then turns superiorly, posterior to its head and moving anteriorly, gives off anterior branches to the auricle .
The buccal nerve (long buccal nerve) is a sensory nerve of the face arising from the mandibular nerve (CN V3) (which is itself a branch of the trigeminal nerve).It conveys sensory information from the skin of the cheek, and parts of the oral mucosa, periodontium, and gingiva.
The mandibular nerve immediately passes between tensor veli palatini, which is medial, and lateral pterygoid, which is lateral, and gives off a meningeal branch (nervus spinosus) and the nerve to medial pterygoid from its medial side. The nerve then divides into a small anterior division and a large posterior division.