Skip to main content
Biology LibreTexts

12.2: Muscles of the Head and Neck

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
  • Page ID
    53685

    • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    Muscles of the Head and Neck

    Head

    The epicranius muscle is also very broad and covers most of the top of the head. The epicranius muscle includes a middle section which is all aponeurosis (white, fibrous, flat, tendon-like tissue). The actual muscle tissue is only found over the forehead (the portion of the muscle called the epicranius frontalis, or frontal belly of epicranius) and the back of the head (the portion of the muscle called the epicranius occipitalis, or occipital belly of the epicranius).

    The buccinator muscles, one on each side of the face, compress the cheeks when contracted. The name is from the Latin for trumpet, which requires blowing air out of the cheeks to play, and also reflects the anatomical adjective for the cheek, buccal.

    The two masseter muscles are also on each side of the face. They close the jaw when contracted. Its name is derived from the same Greek root as mastication, which means to chew.

    The zygomaticus major muscles and the zygomaticus minor muscles are found on each side of the face both have their origins on the zygomatic bone. They both can change the shape of the mouth by elevating it.

    Muscles of the head and neck

    Rotating model of head and neck muscles

    Above: Muscles of the head.