Muscles of Mastication

Question 1

What are the types of muscles of mastication?

Answer 1

• Mandibular elevators
• Mandibular protrusion
• Mandibular depressors

Question 2

List the mandibular elevators.

Answer 2

• Masseter
• Temporalis muscle
• Medial pterygoid muscle

Question 3

Which two muscles of mastication elevate the mandible (and nothing else we need to know for this section)?

Answer 3

• Masseter
• Medial pterygoid muscle

Question 4

Function of the temporalis muscle

Answer 4

• Elevates the mandible AND
• Draws it back if protruded

Question 5

Function of the Lateral pterygoid muscle

Answer 5

• Protrudes mandible

Question 6

List the muscle of mandible protrusion

Answer 6

• Lateral pterygoid muscle

Question 7

List the mandibular depressors

Answer 7

• Digastricus
• Mylohyoid muscle
• Geniohyoid muscle
• Platysma

Question 8

Function of the anterior belly and posterior belly of the digastricus, the mylohyoid muscle, and geniohyoid muscles
(They all do the same things in terms of mastication)

Answer 8

• Depresses mandible
• Elevates hyoid

Question 9

Function of the Platysma (which is the same function as when we covered it as a muscle of the face)

Answer 9

• Depresses mandible