Region · Head and neck
Muscles of the face: facial expression and chewing
The muscles of the face are of two kinds, the muscles of facial expression supplied by the facial nerve, and the chewing muscles supplied by the trigeminal nerve.
The face has two kinds of muscles. The muscles of facial expression are thin sheets that pull on the skin to make you smile, frown or raise your eyebrows, and they are all supplied by the facial nerve. The muscles of mastication, such as the temporalis and the masseter, move the lower jaw to chew, and they are supplied by the trigeminal nerve.
At a glance
| Muscle | Origin | Insertion | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontalis | Epicranial aponeurosis | Skin of the eyebrows | Raises the eyebrows and wrinkles the forehead |
| Procerus | Nasal bone | Skin of the glabella | Draws the medial eyebrow down, wrinkling the bridge of the nose |
| Nasalis | Maxilla | – | – |
| Depressor septi nasi | Maxilla | – | Depression |
| Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi | Maxilla | – | Elevation |
| Levator labii superioris | Maxilla | – | Elevation |
| Zygomaticus major | Zygomatic bone | – | Abduction |
| Zygomaticus minor | Zygomatic bone | – | Abduction |
| Levator anguli oris | Maxilla | – | Elevation |
| Orbicularis oris | Mandible | – | Constriction |
| Buccinator | Mandible, Maxilla | – | Adduction |
| Depressor anguli oris | Mandible | – | Depression |
| Depressor labii inferioris | Mandible | – | Depression |
| Mentalis | Mandible | – | Depression |
| Temporalis | Parietal bone, Frontal bone, Sphenoid bone, Temporal bone | Mandible | Elevates and retracts the mandible |
| Superficial part of masseter | Zygomatic bone, Temporal bone | Mandible | Elevates the mandible; protrudes it |
| Deep part of masseter | Zygomatic bone, Temporal bone | Mandible | Elevates the mandible; retracts it |
From the anatomical data behind Anatomy Atlas 3D (Z-Anatomy, CC BY-SA 4.0, reviewed). Names link to the detailed page when there is one.
How they are organized
This page covers 17 structures: 14 muscles of facial expression and the two main chewing muscles, with the masseter shown as its superficial and deep parts.
What sets the expression muscles apart from almost every other skeletal muscle is that at least one end attaches to skin rather than to bone. When they contract, they move the skin, not a joint. They are easiest to learn around the openings of the face.
Forehead and nose
- Frontalis: the broad muscle of the forehead, the front belly of the occipitofrontalis, which spans the scalp.
- Procerus: a small slip over the bridge of the nose, between the eyebrows.
- Nasalis and depressor septi nasi: tiny muscles around the nostrils.
Upper lip
Five muscles fan out above the mouth and pull the upper lip or the corner of the mouth upwards: the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi (alongside the nose), the levator labii superioris, the zygomaticus minor, the zygomaticus major (from the cheekbone) and, deeper, the levator anguli oris.
Around the mouth
- Orbicularis oris: the ring of muscle inside the lips.
- Buccinator: the muscle of the cheek, deep in the wall of the mouth.
Several of these muscles meet just outside the corner of the mouth at a small knot of fibers called the modiolus.
Lower lip and chin
The depressor anguli oris, the depressor labii inferioris and the mentalis pull the corner of the mouth and the lower lip downwards, or push the lower lip out.
Chewing muscles
The temporalis fans over the side of the skull above the ear, and the masseter, in its superficial and deep parts, covers the angle of the jaw. Both end on the mandible. The other two chewing muscles, the medial and lateral pterygoids, lie deeper, behind the jaw.
What they do together
Expressions are rarely the work of one muscle. A smile combines the zygomaticus major, pulling the corners of the mouth up and out, with the muscles that lift the upper lip, and in a genuine smile the orbicularis oculi around the eye joins in. A frown brings in the depressor anguli oris; a raised eyebrow is the frontalis; a frown between the eyebrows involves the procerus and the corrugator muscles.
Some facial muscles serve function as much as expression. The orbicularis oris closes and purses the lips, for speaking, kissing and drinking through a straw. The buccinator presses the cheek against the teeth, which keeps food between the teeth while you chew and lets you blow out air.
The temporalis and the masseter close the jaw, and the back fibers of the temporalis pull it back. You can feel the masseter harden at the angle of the jaw when you clench your teeth.
Facial muscles vary noticeably between people. Some, such as the risorius, which pulls the corner of the mouth sideways, are small or missing in some people, and the shape of others differs from one face to another.
How to learn them
- Sort by nerve first. Facial nerve: expression. Trigeminal nerve: chewing. The buccinator is a classic trap: it helps you chew, but it is a muscle of facial expression and is supplied by the facial nerve.
- Read the Latin. Levator lifts, depressor lowers, labii means of the lip, anguli oris means of the corner of the mouth, alaeque nasi means and of the wing of the nose. Most names describe exactly what the muscle does.
- Learn it in front of a mirror. Raise your eyebrows, wrinkle your nose, smile, pout and clench your jaw. Each movement points to one or two muscles on this page.
- Map the levators as a fan. From the nose toward the cheekbone: levator labii superioris alaeque nasi, levator labii superioris, zygomaticus minor, zygomaticus major.
In the app, zoom into the face, tap each muscle to see its English and Latin name, isolate the masseter to compare its two parts, and test yourself with the head quiz by tapping each muscle on the 3D body.
Frequently asked questions
Which nerve supplies the muscles of facial expression?
The facial nerve, the seventh cranial nerve. The chewing muscles are supplied by the trigeminal nerve, the fifth.
What are the muscles of mastication?
The temporalis, the masseter and the medial and lateral pterygoids. They all move the lower jaw.
Which muscle makes you smile?
Mainly the zygomaticus major, helped by the muscles that lift the upper lip and, around the eye, the orbicularis oculi.
Is the buccinator a chewing muscle?
It helps chewing by keeping food on the teeth, but it is classed as a muscle of facial expression and is supplied by the facial nerve.