The muscles of mastication are as follows:

Masseter: The Masseter is a thick, somewhat quadrilateral muscle, consisting of two portions, superficial and deep. The superficial portion, the larger, from the zygomatic process of the maxilla. The deep portion is much smaller, and more Muscular in texture and is partly concealed, in front, by the superficial portion behind it is covered by the parotid gland. The fibers of the two portions are continuous at their insertion. Temporalis: The Temporalis is a broad, radiating muscle, situated at the side of the head. It arises from the whole of the temporal fossa. It is a fan-shaped muscle. The large fan-like portion attaches to the side of the skull and the smaller tapering portion attaches to the coronoid process of the mandible. Origin of the muscle is the floor of the temporal fossa of the skull and the insertion is at the tip and medial surface of coronoid process of the mandible. Pterygoidus externus: The Pterygoideus externus is a short, thick muscle, somewhat conical in form, which between the infratemporal fossa and the condyle of the mandible. It arises by two heads an upper end and a lower end. Its fib horizontally backward and is inserted into a depression in front of the neck of the condyle of the mandible. Pterygoidus internus: The Pterygoideus internus are a thick, quadrilateral muscle. It arises from the medial surface of the lateral pterygoid plate and the grooved surface of the pyramidal process f the palatine bone; it has a second slip of origin from the lateral surfaces of the pyramidal.

The mandibular nerve supplies the muscles of mastication.

The Temporalis, Masseter, and Pterygoideus internus raise the mandible against the maxillae with great force. The Pterygoideus externus helps in opening the Mouth.