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Concept
Facial muscles
Summary
The facial muscles are a group of striated skeletal muscles supplied by the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII) that, among other things, control facial expression. These muscles are also called mimetic muscles. They are only found in mammals, although they derive from neural crest cells found in all vertebrates. They are the only muscles that attach to the dermis.
The facial muscles are just under the skin (subcutaneous) muscles that control facial expression. They generally originate from the surface of the skull bone (rarely the fascia), and insert on the skin of the face. When they contract, the skin moves. These muscles also cause wrinkles at right angles to the muscles’ action line.
The facial muscles are supplied by the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), with each nerve serving one side of the face. In contrast, the nearby masticatory muscles are supplied by the mandibular nerve, a branch of the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V).
The facial muscles include:
Occipitofrontalis muscle
Temporoparietalis muscle
Procerus muscle
Nasalis muscle
Depressor septi nasi muscle
Orbicularis oculi muscle
Corrugator supercilii muscle
Depressor supercilii muscle
Auricular muscles (anterior, superior and posterior)
Orbicularis oris muscle
Depressor anguli oris muscle
Risorius
Zygomaticus major muscle
Zygomaticus minor muscle
Levator labii superioris
Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle
Depressor labii inferioris muscle
Levator anguli oris
Buccinator muscle
Mentalis
The platysma is supplied by the facial nerve. Although it is mostly in the neck and can be grouped with the neck muscles by location, it can be considered a muscle of facial expression due to its common nerve supply.
The stylohyoid muscle, stapedius and posterior belly of the digastric muscle are also supplied by the facial nerve, but are not considered muscles of facial expression.
The facial muscles are derived from the second branchial/pharyngeal arch. They, like the branchial arches, originally derive from neural crest cells.
Official source
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