Muscles of Facial Expression

Dr. Anudeep Singh

anudeepsingh@imu.edu.my
 At the end of the lecture, students should be able
to:

Define ‘Face’ and list the group of facial muscles

Learning Identify the location of important muscles and

objectives their bony attachments

Explain the actions of muscles of facial expression

Describe the blood supply and nerve supply of the

face
Face- Extent of the face
Superiorly: hairline
inferiorly: Chin and the base of mandible
laterally: Auricle

Skin & superficial fascia

• highly vascularized, numerous sweat & sebaceous glands (sebaceous cyst/
acne)
• Muscles are in superficial fascia—attached to skin
• blood vessels can not retract: lacerations cause huge bleeding
• no fat in the eyelids
• no deep fascia in face (except over parotid gland—parotido-massteric fascia)
Cleavage lines of face
• Path of cleavage lines in the face
changes regionally.
• These lines often (but not
consistently) coincide with natural
wrinkle lines of the face
• Clinically important in incisions in
surgery- Incision at cleavage lines—
heals faster.
 Develop from: 2nd Pharyngeal Arch
Mesoderm

Muscles of Supplied by: Facial Nerve (Nerve Of 2nd

facial Arch)

expression Muscles are superficial and originate

from bone or fascia to insert into the
skin.
Facial Muscles
Orbital group of muscles

1. Orbicularis oculi and

2. Corrugator supercilii.

The orbicularis oculi- is a large muscle that completely

surrounds each orbital orifice and extends into each eyelid. It
has two major parts:
I. Outer orbital part - closes the eye more forcefully and
produces some wrinkling on the forehead
II. Inner palpebral part- Closes the eye gently.
Corrugator supercilii- It arises from the medial end of the
superciliary arch, passing upward and laterally to insert into the
skin of the medial half of the eyebrow.
It draws the eyebrows toward the midline, causing vertical
wrinkles above the nose.
 Nasal group

Three muscles are associated with the nasal group—

• The nasalis- it has two parts-
Transverse- compresses nasal aperture and
Alar part- dilates nasal aperture
• The procerus- produces transverse wrinkles in frowning
• The depressor septi nasi- Dilates anterior nasal aperture
 Oral group

The muscles in the oral group move the lips and cheek.
• Orbicularis oris and
• Buccinator muscles, and
• A lower and an upper group of muscles.
Modiolus: is a point at corner of mouth, where 8 muscles meet. It balances and maintains symmetry of angle
Orbicularis oris
• The orbicularis oris- completely encircles the mouth.
• Origin: from maxilla & mandible. Blends with other muscles associated with lips (majority of fibres from
Buccinator)
• Insertion: encircles mouth & inserts into muscles and skin at angle of mouth (Modiolus)
• Actions: Closes the lips, Purses & protrudes lips, Kissing and Whistling muscle

Buccinator- Horizontal Muscle

Principal Muscle Of Cheek, Lies Deep To Masseter

Origin: Molar Region Of Maxilla, Mandible

Insertion: To Orbicularis Oris
Actions- Compresses Cheek (Whistling, Sucking), Holds
Food Between Teeth During Chewing, Well Developed
In Nursing Infants
 1. Risorius - Slender muscle at side of mouth, it draws the corners of
mouth upwards as in “Grinning.”
2. Levator Labi Superioris- Opens lips, raises & furrows upper lip
3. Zygomaticus Major and minor- They are a pair of muscles extending
diagonally from zygomatic bone to corner of mouth. They raise lateral
corner of mouth (Muscles for Smiling)
Upper and 4. Levator Anguli Oris- Elevates angle of mouth
lower 5. Levator labii superioris alaeques nasi- assists in flaring the nares.
group of
muscles 1. Depressor Labi Inferioris- Small muscle running from mandible to lower lip.
Draws the lower lip inferiorly (as in a pout)
2. Mentalis- a V-shaped muscle pair below the chin. Wrinkles the chin, protrudes
lower lip.
3. Depressor Anguli Oris- Small muscle lateral to Depressor labi inferioris. Draws
corner of mouth down and lateral, “Tragedy Mask” in grimacing
 Thin sheet like muscle in superficial fascia
of neck. It is neck muscle but helps in
facial expression

• Origin: Fascia over Pectoralis major

muscle & Deltoid muscle
• Insertion: Lower margin of Mandible,
Skin and muscles at corner of mouth
• Actions: Tenses skin of neck (shaving),
depresses Mandible, downward sag of
mouth

Platysma
 Blood Supply Of Face
v • Facial Artery
• Transverse Facial Artery
• Arteries Accompanying
Cutaneous Nerves—
supraorbital, Supratrochlear,
Mental, Infraorbital

Facial Artery
• Arises from external carotid at
neck and enters face by winding
v around lower border of mandible,
Branches of Facial Artery anterior to masseter
• passes lateral to angle of mouth,
1. Inferior labial
side of nose, to medial angle of eye
2. Superior labial • end by anastomosing with dorsal
3. Lateral nasal nasal branch of ophthalmic artery
4. Muscular
NERVE SUPPLY of FACE

Motor nerve supply: Facial nerve

After exit via stylo-mastoid foramen, it enters parotid gland and inside the
gland it divides into five branches-
1. Temporal
2. Zygomatic
3. Buccal
4. Mandibular
5. Cervical

Sensory nerves of face: Trigeminal nerve

1. Upper one-third: Ophthalmic (V1)
2. Middle third: Maxillary (V2)
3. Lower Third: Mandibular (V3)
Clinical anatomy

1. Facial nerve palsy or bell’s palsy

2. Trigeminal neuralgia- Pain in the region of the

mandibular [V3] and maxillary [V2] nerves, which is
• typically of sudden onset,
• excruciating in nature, and may be
• triggered by touching a sensitive region of skin.

Bell’s palsy
Thank you