Face/Neck Muscles

Mentalis - Elevates the lower lip (pinch your lower lip). Location: Chin area. Function: Elevates and protrudes the lower lip, helps in making a pout.

Buccinator - Tightens the cheeks. Location: Cheek area. Function: Compresses the cheeks (as in blowing), and helps in chewing by keeping food between the teeth.

Depressor Labii Inferioris - Depresses the lower lip. Location: Below the lower lip. Function: Depresses the lower lip, and helps in frowning.

Zygomaticus - Elevates corners of the mouth to smile or laugh. Location: From the zygomatic bone to the corners of the mouth. Function: Elevates the corners of the mouth (smiling or laughing).

Orbicularis Oris - Closes the mouth (around lips). Location: Around the lips. Function: Closes and protrudes the lips, used in puckering lips.

Risorius - Responsible for creating facial expressions. Location: Near the corners of the mouth. Function: Pulls the corners of the mouth laterally, involved in facial expressions (smiling).

Depressor Anguli Oris - Aids in frowning by pulling down the edges of the lips. Location: Below the corners of the mouth. Function: Depresses the corners of the mouth, and aids in frowning.

Platysma - Depresses the lower lip. Location: Neck and lower face, extending from the chest to the jaw. Function: Depresses the lower lip, tenses the skin of the neck.

Levator Labii Superioris - Used when people make facial expressions. Location: Above the upper lip, extending to the side of the nose. Function: Elevates the upper lip, involved in facial expressions.

Corrugator Supercilii - Pulls the eyebrows toward the midline and downward. Location: Beneath the eyebrows. Function: Pulls the eyebrows downward and toward the midline, involved in frowning.

Epicranius - Controls the movement of the forehead and eyebrows. Location: Scalp (includes frontal and occipital parts). Function: Controls the movement of the forehead and eyebrows.

Masseter - Closes the mandible. Location: Side of the jaw. Function: Closes the jaw, responsible for chewing.

Temporalis - Closes the mandible. Location: Side of the head, above the ear. Function: Closes the mandible, involved in chewing.

Medial and Lateral Pterygoids - Lateral movement of the mandible. Location: Deep in the jaw, connected to the sphenoid bone. Function: Lateral movement of the mandible (chewing).

Digastric - Protracts, retracts, elevates hyoid, and opens mandible. Location: Under the chin, from the mastoid process to the hyoid bone. Function: Protracts, retracts, and elevates the hyoid bone, and opens the mandible.

Sternothyroid - Depresses thyroid cartilage. Location: Neck, under the sternocleidomastoid. Function: Depresses the thyroid cartilage (helps with lowering the larynx).

Mylohyoid - Elevates the floor of oral cavity. Location: Under the chin, forming the floor of the mouth. Function: Elevates the floor of the oral cavity and helps in swallowing.

Omohyoid – Depresses the hyoid. Location: Neck, lateral to the sternohyoid. Function: Depresses the hyoid bone, helps in swallowing.

Sternohyoid – Depresses the hyoid bone. Location: Neck, from the sternum to the hyoid bone. Function: Depresses the hyoid bone, involved in swallowing.

Sternocleidomastoid – Rotates and extends the head; both flex the neck. Location: Sides of the neck, connecting the sternum, clavicle, and mastoid process. Function: Rotates and extends the head, both muscles flex the neck.

Levator Scapulae – Elevates the scapula, rotates, and abducts the neck. Location: Lateral side of the neck, attached to the scapula. Function: Elevates the scapula, rotates and abducts the neck.

Splenius – Lifts and rotates the head. Location: Back of the neck and upper back. Function: Extends and rotates the head.

Semispinalis – Extends head, rotates vertebral column. Location: Deep muscle of the back, extends along the vertebral column. Function: Extends the head and neck, rotates the vertebral column.

Scalenus – Flexes and rotates the neck, and elevates the first and second ribs. Location: Lateral neck, attached to the cervical vertebrae and first two ribs. Function: Flexes and rotates the neck, elevates the first and second ribs.

Occipital Belly (Occipitalis) – Pulls the scalp posteriorly. Location: Back of the head. Function: Pulls the scalp posteriorly, helps move the scalp backward.

Frontalis (Frontal Belly) – Raises the eyebrows and pulls the scalp anteriorly. Location: Forehead. Function: Raises the eyebrows and wrinkles the forehead.