The temporomandibular ligament, also known as the external lateral ligament, is a

ligament A ligament is the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones. It is also known as ''articular ligament'', ''articular larua'', ''fibrous ligament'', or ''true ligament''. Other ligaments in the body include the: * Peritoneal l ...

that connects the lower articular tubercle of the

zygomatic arch In anatomy, the zygomatic arch, or cheek bone, is a part of the skull formed by the zygomatic process of the temporal bone (a bone extending forward from the side of the skull, over the opening of the ear) and the temporal process of the zygo ...

to the lateral and posterior border of the neck of the

mandible In anatomy, the mandible, lower jaw or jawbone is the largest, strongest and lowest bone in the human facial skeleton. It forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place. The mandible sits beneath the maxilla. It is the only movable bone ...

. It prevents posterior displacement of the mandible. It also prevents the

condyloid process The condyloid process or condylar process is the process on the human and other mammalian species' mandibles that ends in a condyle, the mandibular condyle. It is thicker than the coronoid process of the mandible and consists of two portions: the ...

from being driven upward by a blow to the jaw, which would otherwise fracture the base of the

skull The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, facial bones, ear ossicles and hyoid bone. However two parts are more prominent: the cranium and the mandible. In humans, th ...

Structure

The temporomandibular ligament originates from the lower articular tubercle of the

. This usually has a rough surface for the ligament to attach to. It attaches to the lateral and posterior border of the neck of the

. It consists of two short, narrow

fasciculi Fascicle or ''fasciculus'' may refer to: Anatomy and histology * Muscle fascicle, a bundle of skeletal muscle fibers * Nerve fascicle, a bundle of axons (nerve fibers) ** Superior longitudinal fasciculus *** Arcuate fasciculus ** Gracile fasci ...

, one in front of the other. It is broader above than below, and its fibers are directed obliquely downward and backward. It is covered by the

parotid gland The parotid gland is a major salivary gland in many animals. In humans, the two parotid glands are present on either side of the mouth and in front of both ears. They are the largest of the salivary glands. Each parotid is wrapped around the ma ...

, and by the

integument In biology, an integument is the tissue surrounding an organism's body or an organ within, such as skin, a husk, shell, germ or rind. Etymology The term is derived from ''integumentum'', which is Latin for "a covering". In a transferred, or ...

Function

The temporomandibular ligament constrains the

as it opens, keeping the

close to the joint. It prevents posterior displacement of the mandible. It also prevents the

from being driven upward by a blow to the jaw, which would otherwise fracture the base of the

References

Saladin, Kenneth S. (2005) ''Human Anatomy.'' New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Ligaments of the head and neck {{ligament-stub