Medial pterygoid muscle
| M. pterygoideus medialis |
|---|
|
| origin |
| Pterygoid fossa , lamina lateralis of the proc. pterygoideus of the sphenoid bone and the maxillary tuberosity |
| approach |
| Pterygoid tuberosity at the mandibular angle of the lower jaw |
| function |
| Raise the lower jaw, jaw closure |
| Innervation |
| Mandibular nerve |
The pterygoideus medialis muscle ( Latin for "inner wing muscle") is one of the four muscles of mastication .
function
Together with the masseter and temporalis muscles , it closes the jaw. In particular with the muscle masseter, the muscle forms a functional unit, the so-called masticatory muscle loop, which enables powerful biting.