Muscle attachment to the lateral aspect of the articular disk of the human temporomandibular joint.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the anatomic attachments to the lateral aspect of the anterior band of the human temporomandibular joint articular disk.


METHODS
Sixteen human cadaver half-heads were dissected and examined macroscopically.


RESULTS
No direct attachment was observed between the deep masseter muscle and the temporomandibular joint articular disk. In one specimen, a small band of the anterior temporalis muscle was directly attached to the lateral aspect of the temporomandibular joint disk; whereas, on the same specimen, the attachment of the superior belly of the lateral pterygoid muscle was a comparatively large band. In another specimen, the lateral pterygoid muscle passed in an anterolateral direction.


CONCLUSIONS
The masseter muscle has no functional significance in the biomechanics of temporomandibular joint disk displacement. The anterior temporalis muscle may have functional significance when it is accompanied by an anterolaterally divergent lateral pterygoid muscle.
Loughner
B A
BA
Midwest Center for Head Pain Management, Troy, Ohio, USA.
Gremillion
H A
HA
Larkin
L H
LH
Mahan
P E
PE
Watson
R E
RE
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008410:Masticatory Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011626:Pterygoid Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013703:Temporal Muscle / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D019224:Temporomandibular Joint Disc / Q000033:anatomy & histology*