muscles for smiling laughing and grinning

Levator anguli oris

is a facial muscle close to the mouth opening that lifts the angle of the mouth.

Levator labii superioris

is a facial muscle located close to the mouth opening. It lifts the upper lip.

zygomaticus minor

is a facial muscle lying medially to the zygomaticus major

Zygomaticus major

muscle is involved in creating an expression in the human face known as a smile

Levator labii superioris alaque nasi

is a muscle of facial expression that widens the nostrils and elevates the upper lip, thus enabling the "snarl" expression in the face.

Mentalis

is a facial muscle located in the chin area. Action: produces small dimples in the chin. Contractions of the muscle can produce facial expression presenting doubt and indecision.

Orbicularis oris

is a facial muscle that is located in the thickness of the lip around the oral opening. The main function of the orbicularis oris is closing of the mouth. The orbicularis oris has two main parts: the marginal part consisting of longitudinal fibers and the labial part (also called the peripheral part) of the orbicularis oris, which is composed of circular fibers.

Orbicularis oris

Action: closes the mouth (marginal part) and pushes the lips forward (labial part).

Risorius

is a muscle of facial expression located laterally to the mouth opening, which pulls the angle of the mouth to the lateral side.

Risorius

Action: pulls the angle of the mouth laterally; "sardonic smile"

Compressor narium minor

is a small inconsistent muscle located in the nose region that along with the transverse part of the nasalis muscle compresses the nose. This muscle is present in slightly more than half of individuals and seems to play a role in decreasing the nasal aperture, narrowing the nostrils

Compressor narium minor

Action: pulls the nasal tip in a caudal direction and narrows the nostrils.

Dilator naris anterior

is a muscle of the nose that encircles the nostril and participates in widening it. Action: dilates the nostril

Depressor septi nasi

is a facial muscle located in the lower nose region. It may be absent or rudimentary.

Depressor septi nasi

Action: depresses the nasal septum and pulls the wings of the nose downward, constricting the aperture of the nostrils, thus working similarly as the alar part of the nasalis muscle.

Nasalis

is a paired facial muscle located in the area of the nose, and it is responsible for narrowing and widening the nostrils. The nasalis consists of two parts: transverse part (or transverse nasalis) that compresses the nostril and the alar part (or alar nasalis) that widens it.

transverse nasalis

compresses and closes the nostril

alar nasalis

lengthens the nose and dilates the nostril

Procerus

is a facial muscle located between the dorsum of the nose and the forehead.

Procerus

Action: depresses the medial eyebrow angle. Contractions of procerus are responsible for producing a transverse fold across the glabella