The chewing muscle
Masseter · musculus masseter
The thick muscle at the angle of your jaw that clamps your teeth together.
What it does
The masseter runs from the cheekbone arch to the outer surface of the lower jaw. It closes the mouth with great force, crushing food between the back teeth. Clench your teeth and you can feel it bulge just in front of the angle of your jaw.
Surprising fact
For its size, the masseter is one of the strongest muscles in the body, producing bite forces of several hundred newtons at the molars.
Why it matters
People who grind or clench their teeth at night can develop enlarged, sore masseters, along with headaches and worn teeth. A mouthguard can protect the teeth.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.