Superior Lip Levator Under the Skin, Lateral View

Description

Along the lateral facial wall beneath intact skin, the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi is seen arising from the frontal process of the maxilla just inferior to the medial orbital rim, then coursing inferiorly along the lateral margin of the piriform aperture. Its medial slips track beside the nasal cartilage toward the ala of the nose, while more lateral fibers blend with the levator labii superioris to insert into the superior lip, superficial to the maxillary dentition and anterior to the nasal cavity. Posteriorly, the bony profile sets the muscular plane in context, with the maxilla and mandible, dental arches, and a segment of the cervical vertebrae aligned inferiorly. A lateral view makes the alar elevator’s relationship to the maxilla and nasal aperture easy to teach and hard to misinterpret. This muscle is a consistent driver of upper lip elevation and nostril flare, and hyperactivity can contribute to excessive gingival display (gummy smile) and alar base widening, while iatrogenic weakness after perinasal or maxillary approaches can blunt smile symmetry. Small muscle, visible consequences. Use this plate for head and neck anatomy labs, facial expression modules in dental and medical curricula, and surgical planning figures covering rhinoplasty (alar base work), cleft lip nasal reconstruction, or botulinum toxin injection maps targeting the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi and adjacent elevators without diffusion toward the orbicularis oris. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.