Lateral pterygoid muscles
| Lateral pterygoid muscle | |
|---|---|
| File:Lateral pterygoid muscle.png Lateral pterygoid muscle (highlighted in red) | |
| Details | |
| Origin | Greater wing of sphenoid, Lateral pterygoid plate |
| Insertion | Condyloid process of the mandible |
| Artery | Pterygoid venous plexus |
| Nerve | Lateral pterygoid nerve from the mandibular nerve |
| Actions | Depresses and protrudes the mandible, moves it from side to side |
| Antagonist | Masseter muscle, Temporalis muscle |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | Musculus pterygoideus lateralis |
| TA98 | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 746: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| TH | {{#property:P1694}} |
| TE | {{#property:P1693}} |
| FMA | {{#property:P1402}} |
| Anatomical terms of muscle [[[d:Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 865: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).|edit on Wikidata]]] | |
The lateral pterygoid muscle (or external pterygoid muscle) is a muscle of mastication with two heads. It lies superior to the medial pterygoid muscle and is one of the muscles that assist in the movement of the mandible.
Structure[edit | edit source]
The lateral pterygoid muscle has two heads: the superior head and the inferior head.
Superior head[edit | edit source]
The superior head originates from the greater wing of the sphenoid bone. It inserts into the articular disc and fibrous capsule of the temporomandibular joint.
Inferior head[edit | edit source]
The inferior head originates from the lateral surface of the lateral pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone. It inserts into the pterygoid fovea on the neck of the condyloid process of the mandible.
Innervation[edit | edit source]
The lateral pterygoid muscle is innervated by the lateral pterygoid nerve, a branch of the mandibular nerve (V3), which is the third branch of the trigeminal nerve.
Blood supply[edit | edit source]
The muscle receives its blood supply from the pterygoid venous plexus.
Function[edit | edit source]
The primary function of the lateral pterygoid muscle is to depress and protrude the mandible. It also assists in the side-to-side movement of the mandible, which is essential for mastication (chewing).
Clinical significance[edit | edit source]
Dysfunction of the lateral pterygoid muscle can contribute to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), which can cause pain and difficulty in moving the jaw.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
