Temporalis Muscle

By: Tim Barclay, PhD

Medically reviewed by: Stephanie Curreli, MD, PhD

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2015

The temporalis muscle (or temporal muscle) is one of the mastication muscles; if you clench and unclench your jaw, you can see and feel it contracting at the temples on both sides of your head. It’s attached to the mandible (jaw) and to the skull’s temporal bone, or temporal fossa. The temporal fascia is a strong, fibrous investment that covers the temporal muscle. Contracting the temporalis muscle Continue Scrolling To Read More Below...

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Continued From Above... lifts the jaw, while the muscle’s rear fibers (which are almost horizontal) cause the jaw to retract.

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Temporalis Muscle

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