Anatomy, Head and Neck, Masseter Muscle

The masseter is one of the muscles of mastication. It is a powerful superficial quadrangular muscle originating from the zygomatic arch and inserts along the angle and lateral surface of the mandibular ramus. The masseter is primarily responsible for the elevation of the mandible and some protraction of the mandible. It receives its motor innervation from the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. The blood supply is primarily from the masseteric artery, a branch of the internal maxillary artery.