title: A literature survey of a hundred years of anatomic and functional lateral pterygoid muscle research.
abstract: Controversial topics that influence the etiology and the treatment of temporomandibular disorders include anatomy and function of the lateral pterygoid muscle, and the nature of the disc-muscle connection. To explore whether an agreement has been reached among researchers, a literature survey focusing on the structure, performance, and disc-muscle interface of the lateral pterygoid muscle was performed. Eighty-nine original research articles were identified in the Index Medicus information system from 1879 to 1994 by applying the keyword phrase "lateral pterygoid muscle." A majority of references (65%) identified two separate parts of the lateral pterygoid muscle as well as insertions into the disc, the capsule, and the condyle. Seventy-five percent of the articles agreed on three major functions. This literature survey revealed a consensus regarding anatomy, function, and disc connection among the majority of the researchers. However, diverging opinions were persistent and could be identified.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oral Physiology, Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, University of Göteborg, Faculty of Odontology, Sweden.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bertilsson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ström
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011626:Pterygoid Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D012106:Research; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology