Facial & Neck Muscles: Function, Origin & Innervation

• Muscles of the face and neck control various expressions and movements such as retracting the scalp and flexing the neck

Frontal (Epicranium)

• Raises eyebrows and moves scalp
• Causes wrinkles in the skin of the forehead
• Originates from the frontal bone and inserts into the epicranial aponeurosis
• Innervated by the facial nerve

Occipital

• Retracts the scalp
• Originates from the superior nuchal line and inserts into the epicranial aponeurosis
• Innervated by the facial nerve

Orbicularis Oculi

• Closes the eye, winks, blinks, and squints
• Originates from the medial wall or margin of the orbit
• Inserts into the skin surrounding the eyelids
• Innervated by the facial nerve

Orbicularis Oris

• Compresses and purses the lips, such as when kissing
• Originates from the maxilla and mandible and inserts into the skin and muscles at the angles of the mouth
• Innervated by the facial nerve

Buccinator

• Compresses the cheek and holds food between the teeth during chewing
• Originates from the alveolar processes of the mandible and maxillae
• Inserts into the orbicularis oris
• Innervated by the facial nerve

Mentalis

• Protrudes the lower lip.
• Originates from the central mandible and inserts into the skin of the chin
• Innervated by the facial nerve

Zygomaticus Major and Minor

• Elevates the corner of the mouth
• Originates from the zygomatic bone
• Inserts into the skin at the superolateral edges of the mouth
• Innervated by the facial nerve

Masseter

• Elevates and protracts the mandible, such as when closing the jaw
• Originates from the zygomatic arch and coronoid process
• Inserts into the lateral surface and angle of the mandible
• Innervated by the trigeminal nerve, mandibular division

Temporalis

• Elevates and retracts the mandible
• Originates from the superior and inferior temporal lines
• Inserts into the coronoid process of the mandible
• Innervated by the trigeminal nerve

Platysma

• Pulls the lower lip inferiorly
• Originates from the fascia of the deltoid, pectoralis major, and acromion
• Inserts into the skin of the cheek and mandible.
• Innervated by the facial nerve

Sternocleidomastoid

• Unilateral action causes lateral flexion and rotation of the head
• Bilateral action flexes the neck
• Originates from the manubrium and sternal end of the clavicle
• Inserts into the mastoid process
• Innervated by accessory nerve

Scalenus Group

• Flexes the neck
• Originates from the cervical vertebrae to ribs 1 and 2
• Innervated by cervical spinal nerves

Semispinalis

• Bilateral action extends the vertebral column
• Unilateral action laterally flexes the vertebral column in the neck region
• Originates from the transverse processes of C4-T12
• Inserts into the occipital bone and spinous processes of cervical and thoracic vertebrae
• Innervated by cervical and thoracic spinal nerves

Splenius Capitus

• Unilateral movement turns the head to same side
• Bilateral movement extends head/neck
• Originates from cervical vertebra (ligamentum nuchae)
• Inserts into occipital bone
• Innervated by cervical spinal nerves

Explore the muscles of the face and neck, which facilitate facial expressions. These muscles include the frontalis, which raises eyebrows, the orbicularis oculi, responsible for closing the eyes, and the buccinator, which compresses the cheeks.