Muscles / Head & neck
Medial pterygoid
- Head & neck
- Head & face
- Deep layer
Anatomy
- Origin
- Deep head: medial surface of the lateral pterygoid plate and pyramidal process of the palatine bone; superficial head: tuberosity of the maxilla
- Insertion
- Medial surface of the ramus of the mandible, below the mandibular foramen
- Nerve
- Nerve to medial pterygoid from the mandibular nerve (CN V3)
Actions
- Elevates the mandible
- Assists protrusion
- Unilaterally moves the mandible to the opposite side (grinding)
References (4)
- Standring S, ed. Elsevier. Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. 42nd ed.
- Dalley AF, Agur AMR. Wolters Kluwer. Moore's Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 9th ed.
- Neumann DA. Elsevier. Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Rehabilitation. 3rd ed.
- Betts JG, Young KA, Wise JA, et al. OpenStax (free, openly licensed textbook). Anatomy and Physiology 2e