Masseteric artery

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Masseteric artery
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Plan of branches of internal maxillary artery. (Masseteric visible at bottom center.)
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The arteries of the face and scalp. (Masseteric artery not labeled, but masseter muscle visible near center.)
Details
Source maxillary artery
Supplies Masseter muscle
Identifiers
Latin arteria masseterica
TA A12.2.05.070
FMA 49739
Anatomical terminology

The masseteric artery is small and passes laterally through the mandibular notch to the deep surface of the masseter muscle, which it supplies.

Mandibular notch

The upper border of the ramus of mandible is thin, and is surmounted by two processes, the coronoid process anteriorly and the condyloid process posteriorly, separated by a deep concavity, the mandibular notch, or sigmoid notch. It allows the passage of the masseteric nerve, masseteric artery and masseteric vein.

Masseter muscle

In human anatomy, the masseter is one of the muscles of mastication. Found only in mammals, it is particularly powerful in herbivores to facilitate chewing of plant matter. The most obvious muscle of mastication is the masseter muscle, since it is the most superficial and one of the strongest.

It anastomoses with the masseteric branches of the external maxillary artery and with the transverse facial artery.

Transverse facial artery

The transverse facial artery is an artery that branches from the superficial temporal artery and runs across the face.

Branches of the maxillary artery Masseteric artery.png
Branches of the maxillary artery

See also

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Pterygoid plexus

The pterygoid plexus is a venous plexus of considerable size, and is situated between the temporalis muscle and lateral pterygoid muscle, and partly between the two pterygoid muscles.

Deep temporal nerves

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Infratemporal fossa

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Masseteric nerve

The masseteric nerve passes laterally, above the pterygoideus externus, in front of the temporomandibular articulation, and behind the tendon of the temporalis; it crosses the mandibular notch with the masseteric artery, to the deep surface of the masseter, in which it ramifies nearly as far as its anterior border.

Masseteric fascia

The masseteric fascia is a strong layer of fascia derived from the deep cervical fascia on the human head and neck. It covers the masseter, and is firmly connected to it. Above, this fascia is attached to the lower border of the zygomatic arch, and behind, it invests the parotid gland proceeding into the parotid fascia.

Masseteric is an adjective meaning "of or pertaining to the Masseter muscle", such as:

In anatomy, arterial tree is used to refer to all arteries and/or the branching pattern of the arteries. This article regards the human arterial tree. Starting from the aorta:

Outline of human anatomy Overview of and topical guide to human anatomy

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to human anatomy:

The parotid fascia in human anatomy is a fascia that builds a closed membrane together with the masseteric fascia. This common membrane sheaths the parotid gland, its excretory duct and the passing out branches of the facial nerve as well. The parotid fascia proceeds of the superficial layer of the deep cervical fascia that splits to cover the gland. At the lateral side of the gland this fascia is called the parotid fascia. The fascia itself is made of two layers: A superficial layer that passes cranial into the temporal fascia and lateral into the masseteric fascia, and a deeper layer that covers the Stylohyoid muscle, the styloglossus and the Musculus stylopharyngeus. The superficial layer is attached to the zygomatic arch above and to the mandible below.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 561 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

The public domain consists of all the creative works to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable.

<i>Grays Anatomy</i> English-language textbook of human anatomy

Gray's Anatomy is an English language textbook of human anatomy originally written by Henry Gray and illustrated by Henry Vandyke Carter. Earlier editions were called Anatomy: Descriptive and Surgical, Anatomy of the Human Body and Gray's Anatomy: Descriptive and Applied, but the book's name is commonly shortened to, and later editions are titled, Gray's Anatomy. The book is widely regarded as an extremely influential work on the subject, and has continued to be revised and republished from its initial publication in 1858 to the present day. The latest edition of the book, the 41st, was published in September 2015.