Facial muscles
Updates to Article Attributes
The facial muscles (also known as the muscles of facial expression or mimetic muscles, TA: musculi faciales) enable facial expression and serve as sphincters and dilators of the orifices of the face. These muscles differ from those of other regions in the body as there is no fascia deep to the skin of the face; many of the facial muscles insert directly into the skin 1.
Gross anatomy
In terms of location and function the facial muscles can be subdivided as follows:
Epicranial
- epicranius muscle
- occipitofrontalis muscle
- temporoparietalis muscle
Circumorbital and palpebral
Nasal
- procerus muscle
- nasalis muscle
- myrtiformis muscle
- depressor septi nasalis muscle
- levator labii superioris alaeque nasalis (LLSAN) muscle
- orbicularis oris muscle
Buccolabial
Elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip:
- levator labii superioris alaeque nasalis (LLSAN) muscle
- levator labii superioris muscle
- zygomaticus major muscle
- zygomaticus minor muscle
- malaris muscle
- levator anguli oris muscle
- risorius muscle
Depressors, retractors and evertors of the lower lip:
Compound sphincter:
Arterial supply
They are supplied primarily by the facial artery, a branch of the external carotid artery.
Venous drainage
The facial vein provides the primary venous drainage of most of the mimetic muscles.
Innervation
They are innervated by branches of the facial nerve (VII).
Development
The facial muscles arise from the mesenchyme of the second branchial arch.
-<p>The <strong>facial muscles</strong> (also known as the <strong>muscles of facial expression</strong> or <strong>mimetic muscles</strong>, <a href="/articles/terminologia-anatomica-1">TA</a>: musculi faciales) enable facial expression and serve as <a title="Sphincters (anatomy)" href="/articles/sphincter-disambiguation">sphincters</a> and dilators of the orifices of the face. These muscles differ from those of other regions in the body as there is no <a title="Fascia" href="/articles/fascia">fascia</a> deep to the skin of the face; many of the facial muscles insert directly into the skin <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>In terms of location and function the facial muscles can be subdivided as follows:</p><h5>Epicranial</h5><ul><li>epicranius muscle<ul>- +<p>The <strong>facial muscles</strong> (also known as the <strong>muscles of facial expression</strong> or <strong>mimetic muscles</strong>, <a href="/articles/terminologia-anatomica-1">TA</a>: musculi faciales) enable facial expression and serve as <a href="/articles/sphincter-disambiguation">sphincters</a> and dilators of the orifices of the face. These muscles differ from those of other regions in the body as there is no <a href="/articles/fascia">fascia</a> deep to the skin of the face; many of the facial muscles insert directly into the skin <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>In terms of location and function the facial muscles can be subdivided as follows:</p><h5>Epicranial</h5><ul><li>epicranius muscle<ul>
-<li>depressor labii inferioris muscle</li>- +<li><a title="Depressor labii inferioris muscle" href="/articles/depressor-labii-inferioris-muscle">depressor labii inferioris muscle</a></li>
-<li>incisivus superior muscle</li>-<li>incisivus inferior muscle</li>- +<li><a title="incisivus superior muscle" href="/articles/incisivus-superior-muscle">incisivus superior muscle</a></li>
- +<li><a title="incisivus inferior muscle" href="/articles/incisivus-inferior-muscle">incisivus inferior muscle</a></li>