Buccinator muscle: anatomy of the cheek
- Muscle
- Highlighted area
Quick facts
- Origin
- Alveolar processes of the maxilla and mandible, at the level of the molars, and the pterygomandibular raphe.
- Insertion
- Modiolus and fibers of the orbicularis oris, at the mouth corner.
- Innervation
- Motor supply from the buccal branch of the facial nerve; the buccal nerve, which is sensory, only passes through it.
- Function
- Compresses the cheek against the teeth, keeps food over the molars and helps with blowing.
- Relevance in facial harmonization
- Forms the deep wall of the cheek, with the buccal fat pad on the outside; it is crossed in buccal fat removal.
The buccinator is the deep muscle of the cheek. It forms the lateral wall of the oral cavity, running from the alveolar processes of the molars to the mouth corner, where it attaches to the modiolus. Its main function is to compress the cheek against the teeth during chewing, speech and blowing. The buccal fat pad lies outside it, which is why it is an essential landmark when discussing buccal fat removal.
Where is the buccinator?
It is a thin, quadrilateral muscle, deeper than the muscles of facial expression and covered on the outside by the buccopharyngeal fascia.
| Point | Description |
|---|---|
| Upper origin | Alveolar process of the maxilla, at the level of the molars |
| Lower origin | Alveolar process of the mandible, at the level of the molars |
| Posterior origin | Pterygomandibular raphe, which links it to the superior pharyngeal constrictor |
| Insertion | Modiolus and fibers of the orbicularis oris |
| Plane | Deep, just outside the cheek mucosa |
At the level of the mouth corner, the central fibers cross: the upper ones go to the lower lip and the lower ones to the upper lip, blending with the orbicularis.
What passes through and around the buccinator?
- Parotid duct: coming from the parotid gland, it crosses the masseter and pierces the buccinator to open into the mucosa at the level of the upper second molar.
- Buccal fat pad: the cheek's fat pad lies between the buccinator and the masseter.
- Nerves: the buccal branch of the facial nerve supplies the muscle; the buccal nerve, a sensory branch of the trigeminal, passes through it to supply the mucosa.
- Vessels: the facial artery and the facial vein run outside it, in the front part of the cheek.
Why does it matter in facial harmonization?
- Buccal fat removal: access to the buccal fat pad usually crosses the mucosa and the buccinator. The indication should take facial aging into account, a topic covered in buccal fat removal: when is it indicated and does buccal fat removal age the face.
- Mouth corners: because it reaches the modiolus, the buccinator takes part in the balance of forces that positions the corner, as shown in mouth corner filler.
- Hollow cheek: the buccinator is a deep wall; hollowing of the front of the cheek usually comes from loss of fat and support, not from the muscle.
How does it show up in the assessment?
- Lower cheek volume at rest, from the front and in three-quarter view.
- Cheek biting: a complaint of nibbling the mucosa may appear in people with full cheeks.
- History of buccal fat removal, which changes the volume between the buccinator and the masseter.
Also called: buccinator, cheek muscle, musculus buccinator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the function of the buccinator muscle?
It compresses the cheek against the teeth, which keeps food over the molars during chewing and stops it from collecting in the vestibule. It also acts when blowing and whistling and pulls the mouth corner backward.
How does the buccinator relate to buccal fat removal?
The cheek's fat pad, the buccal fat pad, lies outside the buccinator. In buccal fat removal (bichectomy), access is usually through the oral mucosa, crossing the muscle to reach the fat. The indication and technique are the decision of the licensed professional.