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Muscles of the Human Head

The muscles of the human head are located in the face and on the scalp. They allow a person to perform actions such as eating, smiling, frowning and blinking. The muscles are listed by their location and function on the head in the areas of the mouth, eyes, scalp and forehead.

  1. Muscles that Control the Mouth

    • The orbicularis oris are the muscles located at either side of the mouth. Their function is closing the lips. The zygomaticus muscle is in the center of the mouth and is responsible for smiling. The muscle that allows a person to frown is the depressor anguli oris. This muscle is located near the corner of the mouth and functions as part of the lower jaw. The buccinator muscle is in the same area as the orbicularis oris, and is responsible for a person's ability to suck. The masseter and temporalis muscles function as a part of the jaw, and allow for the chewing motions necessary for eating food. The risorius muscle sits below the zygomaticus and down into skin along the corner of the mouth. This muscle permits grinning, stretching the mouth from side to side and drawing back the corners of the mouth. The depressor supercilli is a small muscle located near the corner of the eyebrow that lowers the inner corner of the eyebrow.

    Muscles that Control the Eyes

    • The muscle that controls an individual's eyes is the orbicularis oculi. It controls blinking, producing the narrowing and closing of the eyelids. The orbicularis oculi is made up of three parts: inner, outer and lacrimal. The inner section, also called the palpebral, is located above, below and to the side of the eyes. The outer section, called the orbital section, circles the eye in the the upper and lower eyelid. The lacrimal section runs laterally along the top and bottom of the eye.

    Muscles that Contol the Scalp and Forehead

    • The occipitalis muscle is near the middle top part of the head and draws the forehead backward. The frontalis muscle is positioned vertically on the forehead, extending from just above the hairline down to the eyebrows. When the frontalis muscles contracts, the skin on the forehead and the eyebrows move upward, causing the forehead to wrinkle. The procerus muscle begins at the nasal bone and stretches to the middle of the forehead. This muscle pulls the forehead down, causing a wrinkling of the skin near the bridge of the nose.

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