Levator Anguli Oris

Description

Running anteroinferiorly from the canine fossa of the maxilla, the levator anguli oris (caninus) sits deep to the midfacial soft tissues and courses toward the modiolus at the oral commissure. In this lateral male head and neck view, it lies inferior to the infraorbital margin and lateral to the nasal cavity, tucked beneath the more superficial levator labii superioris and the zygomaticus minor as they approach the upper lip. Posteriorly, its fibers blend with the orbicularis oris and interdigitate near the buccinator, anchoring the corner of the mouth against the maxillary dentition. Depth is the point. Because the levator anguli oris is a deep elevator of the mouth angle, its action is often discussed when teaching facial expression biomechanics and smile asymmetry, where weakness from buccal branch facial nerve injury or iatrogenic trauma can flatten the nasolabial region and lower the commissure. The illustration’s bony landmarks, including the maxilla, teeth, and adjacent cranial sutures, help you orient the muscle’s origin near the canine root and its relationship to the infraorbital foramen, a practical reference for avoiding the infraorbital nerve during dissection, filler placement, or maxillofacial approaches. Small muscle, big teaching payoff. Use this artwork in head and neck anatomy courses to contrast superficial elevators of the upper lip with deeper commissure elevators, or in surgical and dental education when discussing cleft lip repair planning, midface fracture exposure, and safe zones for infraorbital nerve blocks. It also suits facial plastic surgery and dermatology publications that need an anatomically grounded explanation of perioral vector changes with aging and augmentation. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.