Infratemporal region

Question 1

What muscles of mastication are found in the infratemporal fossa?

Answer 1

Lower part of temporalis, lateral and medial pterygoid muscles

Question 2

What is found in the infratemporal fossa?

Answer 2

Lower part of temporalis, medial and lateral pterygoid muscles, maxillary artery, pterygoid venous plexus, mandibular and chorda tympani nerves and the otic ganglion

Question 3

What innervates the muscles of mastication?

Answer 3

Mandibular nerve

Question 4

Name the muscles involved in depression of the temporomandibular joint

Answer 4

Lateral pterygoid, suprahyoid and infrahyoid

Question 5

Name the muscles involved in elevation of the temporomandibular joint

Answer 5

Temporalis, masseter and medial pterygoid

Question 6

Name the muscles involved in protrusion at the temporomandibular joint

Answer 6

Masseter (superficial fibres), lat and medial pterygoid

Question 7

How does the mandible move from side to side?

Answer 7

Contraction of temporalis muscle on same side, pterygoid muscles on opposiet side and masseter

Question 8

What other muscles are found in the infratemporal region?

Answer 8

Buccinator, orbicularis oris, superior constrictor, posterior belly of digastric, tensor & levator palatini muscles

Question 9

What do the tensor and levator palatini muscles do?

Answer 9

Control the soft palate during swallowing and speech

Question 10

Name the branches of the mandibular nerve (CNV3)

Answer 10

Buccal, auriculotemporal, lingual and inferior alveolar

Question 11

What does the auriculotemporal nerve do?

Answer 11

Conveys parasympathetic fibres from the otic ganglion to the parotid gland
On the way it envelops the middle meningeal artery
Auriculotemporal nerve then supplies external acoustic meatus, tympanic membrane and skin of temple

Question 12

What does the lingual nerve do?

Answer 12

Joined by the chorda tympani of the facial nerve so taste fibres split off to the chorda tympani and general sensory fibres of the lingual carry on

Question 13

What does the inferior alveolar nerve do?

Answer 13

Gives off small motor branch to the mylohyoid and continues as a sensory nerve to supply the mandibular canal and lower teeth. The terminal part emerges at the mental foramen to supply the lower lip and chin

Question 14

Describe the mandibular nerve

Answer 14

Enters infratemporal fossa by the foramen ovale
Supplies medial and lateral pterygoids, tenosr palatini, temporalis and masseter. Buccal nerve supplies sensory fibres to cheek.

Question 15

Describe path of middle meningeal artery

Answer 15

Passes deep to lateral pterygoid, between roots of the auriculotemporal nerve to enter skull by foramen spinosum

Question 16

Describe venous drainage of infratemporal fossa

Answer 16

By veins corresponding to maxillary artery branches, pterygoid plexus and into maxillary vein. These communicate with cavernous sinus and facial vein

Question 17

What supplies the submandibular and sublingual glands?

Answer 17

Parasympathetic secretomotor fibres from the chorda tympani after synapsing in the submandibular ganglion