Muscles of mastication (Latin)

The mm. masticatorii originate from different bones of the skull and insert into the mandibula. The m. temporalis is located in the fossa temporalis. The m. masseter can be found on the face, superficial to the lateral surface of the ramus mandibulae. This muscle has a superficial and a deep layer (pars superficialis masseteris et pars profunda masseteris). The m. pterygoideus medialis and the m. pterygoideus lateralis are found in the fossa infratemporalis . Each muscle consists of two heads. The medial pterygoid has a caput profundum and a caput superficiale, while the lateral pterygoid has a caput superius and a caput inferius.