In facial anatomy, the modiolus is a dense, compact, mobile, fibromuscular tissue mass of facial muscles formed by the interlacing of a number of muscles just lateral to the angle of the mouth opposite the second upper premolar tooth. There are no precise histological boundaries because the modiolus is an irregular zone where dense, compact, interlacing tissue grades into the stems of individually recognizable muscles. It is contributed to by at least nine muscles:

orbicularis oris In human anatomy, the orbicularis oris muscle is a complex of muscles in the lips that encircles the mouth. It is not a true sphincter, as was once thought, as it is actually composed of four independent quadrants that interlace and give only an a ...

buccinator The bucinator () is a thin quadrilateral muscle occupying the interval between the maxilla and the mandible at the side of the face. It forms the anterior part of the cheek or the lateral wall of the oral cavity.Illustrated Anatomy of the Head an ...

, levator anguli oris,

depressor anguli oris The depressor anguli oris muscle (triangularis muscle) is a facial muscle. It originates from the mandible and inserts into the angle of the mouth. It is associated with frowning, as it depresses the corner of the mouth. Structure The depres ...

zygomaticus major The zygomaticus major muscle is a muscle of the face. It arises from either zygomatic arch (cheekbone); it inserts at the corner of the mouth. It is innervated by branches of the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII). It is a muscle of facial expres ...

zygomaticus minor The zygomaticus minor muscle is a muscle of facial expression. It originates from the zygomatic bone, lateral to the rest of the levator labii superioris muscle, and inserts into the outer part of the upper lip. It draws the upper lip backward, u ...

risorius The risorius muscle is a highly variable muscle of facial expression. It has numerous and very variable origins, and inserts into the angle of the mouth. It receives motor innervation from branches of facial nerve (CN VII). It may be absent or a ...

quadratus labii superioris The levator labii superioris (: ''levatores labii superioris'', also called quadratus labii superioris, : ''quadrati labii superioris'') is a muscle of the human body used in facial expression. It is a broad sheet, the origin of which extends fro ...

, quadratus labii inferioris. Its position and movements are important in moving the

mouth A mouth also referred to as the oral is the body orifice through which many animals ingest food and animal communication#Auditory, vocalize. The body cavity immediately behind the mouth opening, known as the oral cavity (or in Latin), is also t ...

facial expression Facial expression is the motion and positioning of the muscles beneath the skin of the face. These movements convey the emotional state of an individual to observers and are a form of nonverbal communication. They are a primary means of conveying ...

and in prosthetic dentistry. It is extremely important in relation to stability of lower denture, because of the strength and variability of movement of the area. It derives its motor nerve supply from the

facial nerve The facial nerve, also known as the seventh cranial nerve, cranial nerve VII, or simply CN VII, is a cranial nerve that emerges from the pons of the brainstem, controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of ta ...

, and its blood supply from labial branches of the

facial artery The facial artery, formerly called the external maxillary artery, is a branch of the external carotid artery that supplies blood to superficial structures of the medial regions of the face. Structure The facial artery arises in the carotid t ...

References

2.Al-Hoqail RA, Abdel Meguid EM. An anatomical and analytical study of the modiolus: enlightening its relevance to plastic surgery. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2009;33(2):147–152. doi:10.1007/s00266-008-9187-x 3.Pélissier P, Pistre V, Bustamante K, Martin D, Baudet J. Le modiolus. Anatomie comparée, rappels embryologique et physiologique, intérêt chirurgical he modiolus. Comparative anatomy, embryological and physiological review, surgical importance Ann Chir Plast Esthet. 2000;45(1):41–47. 4.Yu SK, Lee MH, Kim HS, Park JT, Kim HJ, Kim HJ. Histomorphologic approach for the modiolus with reference to reconstructive and aesthetic surgery. J Craniofac Surg. 2013;24(4):1414–1417. doi:10.1097/SCS.0b013e318292c939 {{DEFAULTSORT:Modiolus (Face) Muscular system

See also

References