Practice Labeling the Muscles of the Head and Neck
Major Muscles of the Head:
-
Frontalis:
- Location: Forehead.
- Function: Raises the eyebrows and wrinkles the forehead.
- Occipitalis:
- Location: Back of the head.
- Function: Pulls the scalp backward.
- Temporalis:
- Location: Temporal region (sides of the head).
- Function: Closes the jaw and assists in chewing.
- Masseter:
- Location: Jaw.
- Function: Primary muscle for closing the jaw during chewing.
- Orbicularis Oculi:
- Location: Around the eyes.
- Function: Closes the eyelids; involved in blinking.
- Orbicularis Oris:
- Location: Around the mouth.
- Function: Closes and protrudes the lips; involved in speaking and kissing.
- Buccinator:
- Location: Deep in the cheeks.
- Function: Compresses the cheeks; assists in chewing
- Zygomaticus Major and Minor:
- Location: Cheek area.
- Function: Raises the corners of the mouth; involved in smiling.
- Platysma:
- Location: Neck and lower face.
- Function: Pulls the corners of the mouth downward; tenses the neck.
- Sternocleidomastoid:
- Location: Neck.
- Function: Flexes and rotates the head; helps with neck movements.
- Masseter
- Location: Sides of the face / jaw
- Function: Opens and closes the jaw during chewing
- Trapezius
- Location: Backl of neck and extends to skull
- Function: Shrug shoulders, tilt head from size to side, rotate head
