Buccinator Muscle Under the Skin, Lateral View

Description

Seen in lateral profile beneath the facial skin, the buccinator forms the muscular core of the cheek wall, extending from the maxillary and mandibular alveolar processes and pterygomandibular raphe toward the modiolus at the angle of the mouth, where its fibers blend with orbicularis oris. Superficial and posterior to it, the masseter occupies the lateral surface of the mandibular ramus, while the temporalis fans superiorly over the temporal fossa and converges deep to the zygomatic arch. Inferiorly, the sternocleidomastoid descends obliquely from the mastoid process toward the manubrium and clavicle, establishing the lateral contour of the neck. Fiber direction is the point. Clinically, the buccinator matters because it positions the bolus between the occlusal surfaces, and it is commonly affected after facial nerve (CN VII) injury, where cheek food trapping and drooling point to buccal branch dysfunction even when jaw closing (masseter, V3) remains intact. Its relationship to the parotid duct is a surgical and teaching staple: the duct turns medially at the anterior border of the masseter, pierces the buccinator, and opens opposite the maxillary second molar. This view keeps that spatial logic honest. Use it in head and neck anatomy courses when teaching muscles of facial expression versus muscles of mastication, and in dental, ENT, and maxillofacial texts discussing parotid duct cannulation, buccal mucosal procedures, or facial nerve lesion localization. It also fits patient education material on post parotidectomy weakness and cheek biting. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.