MYONET - Atlas Musculature Orofacial System

Atlas Musculature: Specialities,I,5 till 13

Erhard Thiele     014e Atlas Musculature Inventory       MYONET.TOTAL PROGR CONTENTS  

I/5. (M. buccinator) This muscle has also been mentioned in association with the "belt" picture. Further pointed up should be the fact that this triple unit may show a muscular bulge from conglobation and crossing over of muscle fibres in the belt middle region, the equator, which, similar to the Modiolus, might exert pressure against the molars and in a physiological extent grant support to the teeth against the tongue pressure. As the counterpart to the tongue rim it directs the foodstuff between the mastication surfaces of the teeth. This shape however may give rise to dysfunctions as will have to be discussed later on.

Rauber-Kopsch describes this intertwining of Orbicularis and Buccinator as the Musculus buccolabialis. According to this description there are also fibres joining the Mentalis what might also trigger functional problems. A further functionally interesting feature is the way this muscle forms its continuous arch-form origination from the maxilla to the mandibular tooth region. In the back region, the joint of upper and lower jaw, it is fixed at the Raphe pterygomandibularis. This intermediate tendon is linking it as a joint fixation with the M. constrictor pharyngis superior and is extended between the Hamulus pterygoideus and the Christa buccinat. This formation creates an anatomical-physiological relation directly to the deglutition act having functional consequences as well. One might say that the foodstuff is passed on from the mouth constrictor - Buccinator - to the fauces constrictor, this again offers relations to the genetic disposition of the peristalsis wave from the worm stage which might make you think that a muscle action of this sort is still passing through the organism from Orbicularis to Sphincter ani.

I/6. (M. zygomaticus) the muscle appears as a large v-shaped ligament which nomenclatorial is divided in a Pars maior and minor. By its leading in with its surface fibres into the mouth angles skin and the deep fibres into the upper and lower lip it dominates the up-sideways movement of the lateral oral region. Moreover the missing of the v-shape dichotomy can be observed. Sometimes this muscle together with the Levator of the upper lip (8) is overlaid from a thin muscle layer des M. melaris which shows a connection with the Orbicularis oris muscle (grimacing during swallowing till up to the eye region). Specifically these specialities of the structure should deserve our attentiveness as they may be the hidden reason for tendencies or predestinations for dysfunctions. The Zygomaticus lifts the bulge of our wheel spoke hub off the canine region and thus frees it from the central pressure component.

I/7. (M. risorius) This track predominantly reacts together with the Zygomaticus (8) in delight and jointly with the Levator labii superior (8) in contempt (see Abb.18). It is part of the triplet (5-7-4-7-5) fashioning our "belt" It is responsible for the cheek dimple and is subjected to multiple variations as, for example, completely missing, duplication, translocated origin at the zygomatic arch, the external ear or the Processus mastoideus. As a muscle of the superficial layer it will add much onward pressure - centripetal component - . He is said to create a diabolic smile (P. 21, Gray.)

I/8. (M. levator labii superioris) In rare cases its missing may be observed. Besides the lifting of the upper lip it may be ascribed also an everting.

I/9. (M. levator anguli oris) It is strongly intertwined with the other muscles of the upper mouth corner region laying beyond the Levator labii superioris (8) (inward pressure). It gains the medial traction component at the mouth corner and thus the nasolabial crease.

I/10. (M. depressor anguli oris) From the contraction of this muscle results a strong downwards component in the region beyond the oral fissure. Significant variation options lie in the morphology like a linking with the Platysma (13) as Transversus menti (oblique chin muscle) to the opposite side (vertical chin fold in a double chin), to the Levator of the mouth corner (9).

I/11. (M. depressor labii inferioris) The muscle lies partially under the Depressor anguli (10) and often shows a linkage to the Platysma (13); in pulls in contrary to the latter more the lower lip than the mouth corner moving rather the skin. The Prolabium is bulged out making the lips look broad.

I/12. (M. mentalis) At its insertion site it forms the chin pit and quite frequently as well a protrusion at the inside towards the Vestibulum. It is of quite a variable size as forming two bulges. It is described as being "very active", in some extent also during sleep - what we would describe as hyperactive. It shoves every thing lying above up to form a duckbill as with drinking.

I/13. (M. platysma myoides) Its fibres originate at the jaw bone of the Mandibula, in the respective skin and the subcutic texture and lead in into the muscles of the region of mouth corner and inferior mouth connecting with the contralateral fibres. Through this setting the lower face region of the head is linked across the neck with the thoracic part of the body. Evidently and consequently muscle actions in the orofacial system like a smile via Platysma are directly influencing the head, neck and body position. This bears the incentive for the fact that we also have to mind also those muscles that mainly regulate this posture.