Muscles of Mastication

The muscles of mastication are so named because these four muscles are the ones that are the prime movers in chewing movements. They have more than that in common as they all are innervated by branches of the mandibular nerve also known as the third division of the trigeminal nerve (Cranial nerve V) and all supplied with arterial blood by branches of the maxillary artery. In order to move the mandible, they all insert on the mandible though one of them as we shall see also has an insertion on the articular disc of the TMJ. Now let us look at them individually.