Digastric Muscles, Lateral View

Description

Running along the suprahyoid region beneath the body of the mandible, the digastric muscle is presented in lateral profile with its anterior and posterior bellies joined by an intermediate tendon. The anterior belly courses posteroinferiorly from the digastric fossa on the inner aspect of the mandible toward the hyoid, while the posterior belly runs anteroinferiorly from the mastoid notch of the temporal bone to the same tendon. The hyoid bone sits inferior to the mandibular body, and the tendon is typically tethered to the hyoid by a fibrous sling, creating the familiar V-shaped contour under the jaw. Bony context includes the mandibular ramus and angle anteriorly, the mastoid region posteriorly, and the upper cervical vertebrae aligned inferior to the skull base. Clear landmarks. For head and neck anatomy, this lateral view clarifies why the digastric is both a mandibular depressor and a hyoid elevator, depending on which structure is fixed by the infrahyoid muscles. That relationship matters in airway and swallowing mechanics, but it also matters in the neck. The posterior belly tracks near the carotid triangle and is a standard landmark in selective neck dissection and in approaching the submandibular gland, while the intermediate tendon region helps orient clinicians when tracing the course of the hypoglossal nerve across the suprahyoid space. Use this illustration in gross anatomy and dental anatomy teaching to anchor suprahyoid muscle orientation against the mandible and hyoid, and in otolaryngology or oral and maxillofacial surgery materials when describing submandibular approaches, level I neck nodes, or identification of the digastric as a surgical boundary. It also fits well in clinical anatomy atlases that pair skeletal landmarks of the skull and cervical spine with key strap and suprahyoid musculature. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.