HB-017 · Muscular · Part
Mastication muscles
Also called: chewing muscles Musculi masticatorii
Schematic 3D Classes 9-10 · Classes 11-12 Intermediate Draft - educator review
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Parts: masseter; temporalis; medial pterygoid; lateral pterygoid
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About
The muscles of mastication move the lower jaw for biting and chewing.
- 📍 Where it is
- Sides of the head, attached to the skull and mandible.
- 🧱 Structure
- Masseter and temporalis close the jaw; the pterygoid muscles (deeper) grind and open it.
- ⚙️ What it does
- Biting, chewing and grinding food.
💡 Key facts
- The masseter is one of the strongest muscles for its size.
- You can feel the temporalis move at your temple when you chew.
- Mastication muscles are supplied by the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V).
✗ The jaw moves only up and down
✓ It also slides forward, back and side to side to grind food.
📒 Words to know
- mastication
- chewing
- masseter
- thick jaw-closing muscle
- temporalis
- fan-shaped muscle at the temple
🏫 Related lessons
- Human body, senses and hygiene Classes 1-5
- Fitness components Classes 6-8
- Anatomy, physiology and biomechanics Classes 11-12
- Sports training and fitness testing Classes 11-12
Generic GayaGnan topic lessons. Check your own board's syllabus for the exact chapter.
🔎 Sources and credits
Catalog description: Muscles used for chewing.
- OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, ch. 10-11 (muscle tissue, muscular system) (accessed 2026-10-30)
- 3D models: BodyParts3D (DBCLS) and the Human Reference Atlas (HuBMAP), CC BY 4.0, with GayaGnan schematics. 3D model credits
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