Zygomaticus major muscle
| Zygomaticus major | |
|---|---|
Muscles of the head, face, and neck. Zygomaticus major shown in red. | |
| Details | |
| Origin | Anterior of zygomatic |
| Insertion | Modiolus of the mouth |
| Artery | Facial artery |
| Nerve | Zygomatic and buccal branches of the facial nerve |
| Actions | Draws the angle of the mouth upward laterally |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | musculus zygomaticus major |
| TA98 | A04.1.03.029 |
| TA2 | 2079 |
| FMA | 46810 |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
The zygomaticus major muscle is a muscle of the face. It arises from either zygomatic arch (cheekbone); it inserts at the corner of the mouth. It is innervated by branches of the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII).
It is a muscle of facial expression, which draws the angle of the mouth superiorly and posteriorly to allow one to smile. Bifid zygomaticus major muscle is a notable variant, and may cause cheek dimples.