Infratemporal fossa Lecture

Question 1

Name muscles and their innervation of those that act to depress the mandible (open mouth)

Answer 1

• Anterior belly of digastric

- V3 (nerve to mylohyoid)

Question 2

Name muscles and innervation of those that act to elevate mandible (close mouth)

Answer 2

• temporalis
• masseter
• medial pterygoid
• all innervated by mandibular nerve (V3)

Question 3

Name the muscles involved in protruding the mandible and their innervation

Answer 3

• lateral pterygoid
• masseter
• medial pterygoid
• all innervated by mandibular nerve V3

Question 4

Name the muscles involved in retruding the mandible and their innervation

Answer 4

• temporalis (posterior fibers)

- mandibular nerve V3

Question 5

Name the muscles involved in grinding (side to side movements of mandible)

Answer 5

• Temporalis of same side
• pterygoids of opposite sides
• all mandibular nerve of V3

Question 6

Name function and innervation of anterior belly of digastric

Answer 6

• depress mandible/open mouth

- nerve to mylohyoid of V3

Question 7

Name function and innervation of temporalis muscle

Answer 7

• elevate/close mouth
• retrude mandible
• grinding (same side)
• mandibular nerve V3

Question 8

Name function and innervation of masseter muscle

Answer 8

• elevate/close mouth
• protrude mandible
• mandibular nerve V3

Question 9

Name function and innervation of medial pterygoid

Answer 9

• elevate/close mouth
• protrude mandible
• grinding (opposite side)
• mandibular nerve V3

Question 10

Name function and innervation of lateral pterygoid

Answer 10

• protrusion of mandible
• grinding (opposite side)
• mandibular nerve V3

Question 11

V3 is found within the infratemporal fossa, name its 4 sensory branches found here as well.

Answer 11

• BAIL
• buccal
• auriculotemporal
• inferior alveolar
• lingual (hitchhikes with chorda tympani of VII)

Question 12

The maxillary artery courses through the infratemporal fossa. What are its main branches in the infratemporal fossa and where do these go?

Answer 12

• middle meningeal artery: passes through foramen spinosum and enters middle cranial fossa to supply skull and dura
• inferior alveolar artery
• deep temporal arteries
• the maxillary artery courses through the IT fossa, then enters the pterygopalatine fossa through the pterygomaxillary fissure