Quick Facts
Origin: Parotid fascia.
Insertion: Modiolus and overlying skin of angle of mouth.
Action: Pulls angle of mouth laterally.
Innervation: Buccal branches of facial nerve (CN VII).
Arterial Supply: Superior labial artery.
Origin
The risorius muscle originates from parotid fascia of the parotid gland and the masseter muscle.
Insertion
The risorius muscle inserts into the apical portion of the modiolus of angulus oris, but can have many muscular bundles.
Actions
The risorius muscle pulls the angle of the mouth laterally. This action is used when laughing and grinning (Standring, 2016).
List of Clinical Correlates
- Bell’s palsy
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray's Anatomy Series 41st edn.: Elsevier Limited.
