The Buccal Branches of the facial nerve

Facial nerve

The facial nerve is the seventh of twelve paired cranial nerves. It emerges from the brainstem between the pons and the medulla, and controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and oral cavity...

(infraorbital branches), of larger size than the rest of the branches, pass horizontally forward to be distributed below the orbit

Orbit

In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...

 and around the mouth

Mouth

The mouth is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food andsaliva. The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium lining the inside of the mouth....

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Branches

The superficial branches run beneath the skin

Skin

-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...

 and above the superficial muscles of the face, which they supply: some are distributed to the Procerus, joining at the medial angle of the orbit with the infratrochlear and nasociliary branches of the ophthalmic

Ophthalmic nerve

The ophthalmic nerve is one of the three branches of the trigeminal nerve, the fifth cranial nerve. The ophthalmic nerve carries only sensory fibers.-Branches:*Nasociliary nerve**sensory root of ciliary ganglion**posterior ethmoidal nerve...

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The deep branches pass beneath the Zygomaticus

Zygomaticus

Zygomaticus can refer to:* Zygomatic bone* Zygomaticus minor muscle* Zygomaticus major muscle...

and the Quadratus labii superioris, supplying them and forming an infraorbital plexus with the infraorbital branch of the maxillary nerve. These branches also supply the small muscles of the nose

Human nose

The visible part of the human nose is the protruding part of the face that bears the nostrils. The shape of the nose is determined by the ethmoid bone and the nasal septum, which consists mostly of cartilage and which separates the nostrils...

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The lower deep branches supply the Buccinator

Buccinator

The buccinator muscle is a muscle at the side of the face.Buccinator may also refer to:* Buccinator artery * Buccinator lymph node* Buccinator nerve * An ancient Roman buccina player...

 and Orbicularis oris, and join with filaments of the buccinator branch of the mandibular nerve

Mandibular nerve

The mandibular nerve is the largest of the three branches of the trigeminal nerve.-Roots:It is made up of two roots:* a large sensory root proceeding from the inferior angle of the trigeminal ganglion....

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Muscles of Facial Expression

The facial nerve innervates the muscles of facial expression. The buccal branch supplies these muscles

Muscle	Action
Risorius Risorius The risorius is a muscle of facial expression which arises in the fascia over the parotid gland and, passing horizontally forward, superficial to the platysma, inserts onto the skin at the angle of the mouth...	Smirk
Buccinator Buccinator The buccinator muscle is a muscle at the side of the face.Buccinator may also refer to:* Buccinator artery * Buccinator lymph node* Buccinator nerve * An ancient Roman buccina player...	Aids chewing by holding cheeks flat
Levator Labii Superioris Levator labii superioris The levator labii superioris is a muscle of the human body used in facial expression. It is a broad sheet, the origin of which extends from the side of the nose to the zygomatic bone....	Elevates upper lip
Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle The levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle is, translated from Latin, the "lifter of the upper lip and of the wing of the nose". It has the longest name of any muscle in an animal...	Snarl
Levator Anguli Oris Levator anguli oris The levator anguli oris is a facial muscle of the mouth arising from the canine fossa, immediately below the infraorbital foramen....	Soft smile
Nasalis Nasalis Nasalis may refer to:* Proboscis Monkey , the only monkey in the genus Nasalis* Nasalis muscle...	Flare Nostrils
Orbicularis oris muscle Orbicularis oris muscle In human anatomy, the orbicularis oris muscle is the sphincter muscle around the mouth."Orbicularis Oris is a complex of muscles in the lips that encircle the mouth; until recently it was misinterpreted as a sphincter, or circular muscle, but it is actually composed of four independent quadrants...	Purse Lips

External links

- "Branches of Facial Nerve (CN VII)"

• http://www.dartmouth.edu/~humananatomy/figures/chapter_47/47-5.HTM