Head and Neck Anatomy

Lecture # 5

Muscles of Facial Expression, Soft
Palate and Pharynx
Chapters 30 & 31
Muscles of Facial Expression
Includes muscles of
the ears, scalp, neck,
eyes, nose and
mouth
All muscles are
innervated by the
VII cranial nerve
(facial nerve)
Muscles function in
facial expression,
speech and
mastication
Ears

There are three muscles around the ear
which all arise from connective tissue of
the scalp around the ear and insert into
the ear
Anterior auricular muscle pulls ear
forward
Superior auricular muscle raises the ear
Posterior auricular muscle pulls ear
back
These muscles are not well developed in
humans
Scalp
Scalp Action
The muscles of the scalp allow for its mobility
both forward and backward.
Occipitofrontalis (Epicranius) a paired
muscle with groups of fibers anterior and
posterior connected by a broad flat band of
fascia. The anterior and posterior bellies take
their origin from the connective tissue of the
scalp which allow the movement backward
and forward.

Scalp action
Forward movement results in a frown or a squint
Backward movement raises skin of forehead as in a surprise
Neck - Platysma
Platysma
Upper end of the muscle attaches to the
inferior border of the mandible near the
commissures and the skin of the face in that
area.
These fibers pass down in a broad flat sheet in
the skin of the chest area below the clavicle
This muscle lies just beneath the skin of the
neck and can be felt in the upper pectoral
region when the corners of the mouth are
pulled down.

Platysma - action
When the platysma contracts it
pulls the corners of the lip down
and the skin of the upper
pectoral region up
Eyes- Orbicularis Oculi
Several muscles located
around the eyes close the
eyelid and the skin around
the eye and move the
eyebrows
Orbicularis oculi two parts
the orbital part and the
palpebral part
Eyes Corrugator,Procerus and Orbicularis Oculi
Corrugator runs from the
bridge of the nose up and
lateral to the eyebrow
Pulls the eyebrow medially
and down as in a frown
Procerus runs from the
bridge of the nose up into
the eyebrow pulling the
eyebrow down as in a frown
or a squint
The action of the orbicularis
oculi is to close the eyelid
and contract the skin
around the eye
Frowning
Frowning is achieved through the action of the
eyebrows being pulled medially and down
not through the pulling the corners of the
labial commissures down.
Nose
Muscles of the nose surround the opening of the nostrils
The dilator naris pulls the nostrils open, causing them to flare or dilate.
The compressor naris causes the nostrils to close or compress.
Mouth
Orbicularis oris
Levator labii
superioris
Zygomaticus minor
Zygomaticus major
Levator anguli oris

Depressor labii
inferioris
Depressor anguli oris
Mentalis
Buccinator
Risorius
Mouth Orbicularis Oris
This orbital muscle circles the oral cavity in the
tissue of the lip. It has some bony attachment
at the anterior nasal spine and above the chin.
The action of the muscles is to close and
compress the lips.

Which muscle is active here?
Levator Labii Superioris, Levator Anguli Oris
Zygomaticus Major and Zygomaticus
Minor
Levator labii superioris elevates the upper lip. The origin is just beneath the
lower rim of the orbit.

Levator anguli oris lies deep to the levator labii superioris, zygomaticus major
and minor. It originates on the maxilla just below the infraorbital foramen and
runs down to join with the orbicularis oris at the corners of the mouth. The
action is to pull the angles of the mouth up and toward the midline.

Zygomaticus major is the larger muscle originating from the zygomatic bone.
The origin is lateral to the zygomatic minor and runs down and forward to
insert into the orbicularis oris at the angle of the mouth. The action is to
elevate the corners of the mouth as in a smile.

Zygomaticus minor is a small muscle originating on the zygomatic bone. The
fibers run down into the orbicularis oris just lateral to the levator labii
superioris. The action is to elevate the upper lip primarily functioning in
speech.

Depressor Labii Inferioris,
Depressor Anguli Oris, Mentalis
Depressor Labii Inferioris
The depressor labii inferioris
originates in the area beneath
the angles of the mouth and
just above the inferior border
of the mandible.
The fibers run up and
medially to insert into the
fibers of the orbicularis oris
toward the middle of the
lower lip. The action is to pull
the lower lip down as in a
pout.



Depressor anguli oris
The depressor anguli oris
originates in the same general
area. The fibers run up and
converge in a triangular shape
to blend into the orbicularis
oris at the angle of the mouth.
The muscle pulls the corners
of the mouth down and many
fibers interconnect with the
platysma.
Mentalis
The mentalis originates on
the anterior surface of the
mandible just beneath the
lateral incisors. The fibers
fun down and toward the
midline and inserting into
the skin of the chin. When
the muscle contracts it
pulls the skin up also
assisting in pulling the
lower lip down as in a
pout.

Buccinator Muscle
Originates on the
pterygomandibular
raphe which runs
from the hamulus
down to the medial
surface of the
mandible near the
posterior portion of
the mylohyoid line
Fibers insert into the
orbicularis oris
A very important oral muscle categorized as a
muscle of facial expression but functions primarily in
mastication.

During chewing the food is crushed and ground between the
molars. As the food is compressed between the teeth, some
of the food is pushed onto the tongue and the remainder is
deposited into the buccal vestibule.
The food on the tongue can be pushed back up onto the
occlusal surfaces by the action of the tongue.
The food that is forced out into the vestibule is pushed back
up onto the occlusal surfaces in part by the contraction of the
buccinator muscle.




Risorius Muscle
Small muscle that
originates from the
soft tissue near the
angle of the mandible
and runs forward on
the buccinator and
inserts into the corner
of the mouth
Aid is smiling but is
poorly developed
Appears to be part of
the platysma
Bells Palsy
Patient is unable to smile or
move muscles of facial
expression due to 7
th
cranial
nerve (facial) nerve
paralysis. Most often the
cause is a viral infection
within the ear which causes
swelling and pressure on
the facial nerve within the
ear canal and thus damages
the nerve. This condition
will improve with time but
other neurological disorders
must be ruled out.
Muscles of the Soft Palate
There are 5 pairs of muscles in the soft palate
which move the palate up and back to contact
the posterior throat wall and seal off the nasal
cavity from the oral cavity and narrow the
space (fauces) between the palatine tonsils.
Palatoglossus
Palatopharyngeal
Uvula
Levator Veli Palatini
Tensor Veli Palatini

Muscles of the Soft Palate
Palatoglossal pulls the tongue up and back
and the soft palate down on the sides
Palatopharyngeal elevates the pharynx and
larynx
Uvula when the muscle of the uvula
contracts it changes the contour of the
posterior end of the soft palate
Levator veli palatini elevates the posterior
end of the soft palate and helps to open the
auditory tube
Tensor veli palatini tenses the anterior part
of the soft palate and opens the auditory tube
when it is closed

Palatoglossus, Palatopharyngeal
The palatoglossus
elevates the base of
the tongue toward
the soft palate
The
palatopharyngeal
muscle narrows
elevates the larynx
and pharynx helping
to shut off the
nasopharynx
palatoglossus
palatopharyngeal
Muscles of the Pharynx
nasopharynx located at the
posterior end of the nasal cavity
oropharynx the back throat
wall
laryngeal pharynx below the
tongue where the digestive and
respiratory systems branch into
their respective parts the
esophagus and larynx
the pharynx has two groups of
muscles one group that
constricts the pharynx and
another group that elevates and
dilates the pharynx
Posterior view of the muscles of the soft palate
Pharyngeal constrictors
There are three pairs of
pharyngeal constrictors all of
which overlap and insert into
a midline tendon in the
posterior throat know as the
median raphe where the
muscles overlap one another
Superior, middle and inferior
pharyngeal constrictor
muscles are innervated by
the 10
th
and 11
th
cranial
nerve
Lateral view of muscles of the pharynx
Pharyngeal Elevators and Dilators
These muscles open and elevate the pharynx to facilitate
swallowing :
Stylopharyngeal muscle dilates the pharynx nerve
supply is the 9
th
cranial nerve
Salpingopharyngeal muscle lifts the pharyngeal wall to
aid in swallowing nerve supply is the 10
th
and 11
th
cranial
nerves
Speech
During speech the soft palate is
pulled up and back by the
levator veli palitini and the
muscles of the uvula to contact
the posterior pharyngeal wall
Nasal sounds are produced
when the soft palate is unable to
adapt well to the posterior
pharyngeal wall commonly seen
with inflammation of the
pharyngeal tonsil and less
frequently with cleft palate
Swallowing
1. teeth masticate and saliva is mixed with food to
form a bolus
2. bolus is placed on the tongue, shifted to the
posterior and then moved back into the oropharynx
3. as the tongue moves up and back the muscles of
the soft palate raise the posterior end of the soft
palate to contact the posterior pharyngeal wall
4. the pharyngeal elevators and dilators lift and widen
the pharynx to receive the bolus and the pharyngeal
constrictors compress the upper part of the
oropharynx to push the food down into the laryngeal
pharynx
5. pharyngeal muscles elevate the thyroid cartilage
of the larynx along with the thyrohyoid muscle to
allow the epiglottis to cover the larynx and move
food down into the upper end of the esophagus
where it is then taken over by involuntary smooth
muscle in a wave like constriction of the digestive
tract known as peristalsis.

6. If too much food is moved by voluntary muscles
into the esophagus, it feels as if it is stuck halfway
down the throat. This occurs because the
voluntary contraction of muscles is faster than the
involuntary contraction of peristalsis and the bolus
of food remains in the upper part of the esophagus
can catch up to the voluntary contractions.
1. Tongue pushes food back
2. Soft palate seals nose from pharynx by pressing against
the posterior pharyngeal wall
3. Pharyngeal muscles squeeze food down
4. Vocal cords and epiglottis close to prevent choking
5. Esophagus opens to let food past down into the stomach