Face, Temporal and Infratemporal Fossa

Question 1

What are the facial muscles and their functions?

Answer 1

• Occipitofrontalis (elevates eyebrows)
• Orbicularis oris (closes mouth)
• Orbicularis oculi (closes eyelids)
• Zygomaticus major (elevates the labial commissure which is where the top and bottom lip meet)
• Buccinator (compresses cheek)
• Platysma (Depresses mandible/jaw against resistance and also tenses the fascia of the neck)

Question 2

Which nerve innervates the muscles involved in facial expressions?

Answer 2

Facial Nerve (VII)

Question 3

What type of nerve is the Facial nerve (VII) and what is it involved with?

Answer 3

The facial nerve is a sensory nerve.

It is involved with taste as well the muscles involved with making facial expressions.

Question 4

Which cranial nerves pass through the internal acoustic meatus?

Answer 4

VII and VIII

Question 5

What are the 12 cranial nerves?

Answer 5

I) Olfactory             
II) Optic
III) Oculomotor 
IV) Trochlear 
V) Trigeminal
VI) Abducens 
VII) Facial
VIII) Vestibulocochlear 
IX) Glossopharyngeal 
X) Vagus
XI) Accessory 
XII) Hypoglossal

Question 6

What muscles are involved in mastication?

Answer 6

• Temporalis (elevation and retraction)
• Masseter (elevation)
• Medial Pterygoid (elevation and side to side movement)
• Lateral Pterygoid (protrusion and depression)

Question 7

Which cranial nerve (and branch) supplies the muscles involved in mastication?

Answer 7

Mandibular (V3) branch of the Trigeminal nerve (V)

Question 8

What are the branches of the Trigeminal nerve (V)?

Answer 8

• Ophthalmic nerve (V1)
• Maxillary nerve (V2)
• Mandibular nerve (V3)

Question 9

At which foramen do the three branches of the Trigeminal nerve (V) exit?

Answer 9

• Ophthalmic (V1) exits at the superior orbital fissure
• Maxillary (V2) exits at the foramen rotundum
• Mandibular (V3) exits at the foramen ovale

Question 10

What are the branches of the Ophthalmic nerve (V1)?

Answer 10

• Lacrimal nerve
• Nasocillary nerve
• Frontal nerve

Question 11

What are the branches of the Maxillary nerve (V2)?

Answer 11

• Infraorbital nerve
• Zygomaticofacial
• Zygomaticotemporal

Question 12

What is the temporal fossa and its contents?

Answer 12

A fan-shaped space on the lateral surface of the skull.

It contains the temporalis muscle as well as branches of the Maxillary nerve (V2).

Question 13

Where is the infratemporal fossa located with respect to the temporal fossa?

Answer 13

Inferiorly

Question 14

What does the infratemporal fossa contain?

Answer 14

• Medial and Lateral Pterygoids
• Maxillary artery
• Mandibular nerve (V3)
• Branches of the Facial nerve (VII)
• Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX)
• Pterygoid plexus of veins

Question 15

Which artery provides the sole blood supply to the face?

Answer 15

External carotid artery

Question 16

What are the key branches of the external carotid artery?

Answer 16

• Lingual
• Facial
• Maxillary
• Superficial temporal

Question 17

Which vein drains the majority of the face?

Answer 17

Facial vein

Question 18

Which vein does the facial vein drain into?

Answer 18

Internal jugular vein

Question 19

Which vein drains a small amount of the face?

Answer 19

Superficial temporal vein

Question 20

Which vein does the superficial temporal vein drain into?

Answer 20

External jugular vein

Question 21

Which nerve provides cutaneous innervation of the face?

Answer 21

Trigeminal nerve

Question 22

Which part of the face does the facial nerve provide cutaneous innervation?

Answer 22

External auditory meatus

Question 23

What is the chorda tympani made up of?

Answer 23

Facial nerve

Lingual nerve (branch of mandibular nerve)

Question 24

What are the 3 salivary glands, and which is the largest?

Answer 24

Parotid (largest)
Submandibular
Sublingual

Question 25

What does the ophthalmic nerve (V1) divide into?

Answer 25

• Lacrimal nerve
• Nasocillary nerve
• Frontal nerve

Question 26

What are the branches of the maxillary nerve (V2)?

Answer 26

• Infraorbital nerve
• Zygomaticofrontal nerve
• Zygomaticotemporal nerve