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

ligament A ligament is a type of fibrous connective tissue in the body that connects bones to other bones. It also connects flight feathers to bones, in dinosaurs and birds. All 30,000 species of amniotes (land animals with internal bones) have liga ...

that connects the lower articular tubercle of the

zygomatic arch In anatomy, the zygomatic arch (colloquially known as the cheek bone), is a part of the skull formed by the zygomatic process of temporal bone, zygomatic process of the temporal bone (a bone extending forward from the side of the skull, over the ...

to the lateral and posterior border of the neck of the

mandible In jawed vertebrates, the mandible (from the Latin ''mandibula'', 'for chewing'), lower jaw, or jawbone is a bone that makes up the lowerand typically more mobilecomponent of the mouth (the upper jaw being known as the maxilla). The jawbone i ...

. It prevents posterior displacement of the mandible. It also prevents the condyloid process from being driven upward by a blow to the jaw, which would otherwise fracture the base of the

skull The skull, or cranium, is typically a bony enclosure around the brain of a vertebrate. In some fish, and amphibians, the skull is of cartilage. The skull is at the head end of the vertebrate. In the human, the skull comprises two prominent ...

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, 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 m ...

, 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, Exoskeleton, shell, germ or Peel (fruit), rind. Etymology The term is derived from ''integumentum'', which is Latin for "a coverin ...

Function

The temporomandibular ligament constrains the

as it opens, keeping the condyloid process close to the joint. It prevents posterior displacement of the mandible. It also prevents the condyloid process 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