Lateral pterygoid muscle

The lateral pterygoid muscle (or external pterygoid muscle) is a muscle of

The lateral pterygoid muscle has an upper head and a lower head.[1]^[2]

• The upper head originates on the infratemporal surface and infratemporal crest of the greater wing of the
  fibrous capsule of the temporomandibular joint
  .
• The lower head originates on the lateral surface of the
  mandible
  .

It lies superior to the medial pterygoid muscle.

Blood supply

The lateral pterygoid muscle is supplied by pterygoid branches of the maxillary artery.^{[citation needed]}

Nerve supply

The lateral pterygoid muscle is supplied by the lateral pterygoid nerve, a branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V₃), itself a branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V).

Function

The primary function of the lateral pterygoid muscle is to pull the head of the condyle out of the

The lateral pterygoid muscle may be involved in temporomandibular joint dysfunction.^[1][2]

Additional images

• 
  Sphenoid bone. Anterior and inferior surfaces.
• 
  Mandible. Inner surface. Side view.
• 
  Plan of branches of internal maxillary artery.
• 
  Distribution of the maxillary and mandibular nerves, and the submaxillary ganglion.

References

• lesson4 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (musclesofmastication2)
• MedicalMnemonics.com: 70
• "Anatomy diagram: 25420.000-1". Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator. Elsevier. Archived from the original on 2015-02-26.
• Cross section at tufts.edu