muscles of facial expression


Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

fa·cial mus·cles

[TA]
the numerous muscles supplied by the facial nerve that are attached to and move the skin of the face. Terminologia Anatomica includes the buccinator muscle in this group because of its innervation and embryonic origin, even though it functions primarily in mastication.
Synonym(s): musculi faciei [TA], mimetic muscles, muscles of facial expression

muscles of facial expression

Thin muscles that insert into the skin of the face; all are innervated by the facial nerve (CN VII). Scalp: frontalis and occipitalis muscles. Ear: anterior, posterior, and superior auricular muscles. Eye: orbicularis oculi. Nose: depressor septi, nasalis, and procerus muscles. Mouth: buccinator, depressor anguli oris, depressor labii inferioris, levator anguli oris, levator labii superioris, mentalis, orbicularis oris, risorius, and zygomaticus muscle. Neck: platysma.
See: face and headfor illus.
See also: muscle
Mentioned in ?
References in periodicals archive ?
The muscles of facial expression are the group of most delicate muscles of human body; however they actively participate in the processes of mastication and phonation.
Anatomical alterations on muscles of facial expression caused by edentulism
The muscles of facial expression are under the control of the VIIth cranial nerve.
Nerve repair is a dynamic reanimation technique that effects functional recovery by reinnervating the muscles of facial expression.
Facial reanimation by cross-facial nerve grafting: Report of five cases. (Original Article)

Medical browser ?
Full browser ?