The medial pterygoid muscle inserts via a stout fibrous tendon into the medial surface of the mandibular angle and the adjacent ramus, from the pterygoid tuberosity up toward the mandibular foramen. The tendon fibres interdigitate with the masseter tendon on the lateral side of the ramus, forming a muscular sling around the mandibular angle. The tendon is identifiable on the medial ramus during sagittal split ramus osteotomy.
| Muscle | |
|---|---|
| Attachment | Medial surface of the ramus and angle of the mandible |
Elevates and protrudes the mandible and assists side-to-side grinding
The medial pterygoid tendon and its ramus insertion are relevant in sagittal split osteotomy for class III malocclusion correction, where the medial pterygoid attachment is stripped from the medial ramus during the surgical exposure but heals reliably after fixation. Medial pterygoid tendon trigger points contribute to trismus and temporomandibular pain, with tenderness accessible by intraoral palpation at the medial pterygoid insertion on the medial ramus. Botulinum toxin injection into the medial pterygoid for bruxism and trismus targets the muscle belly rather than the tendon.
Myofascial trigger points in the medial pterygoid produce restricted jaw opening and a deep posterior jaw pain, palpated intraorally at the medial ramus angle, managed with spray-and-stretch technique, trigger point injection, or botulinum toxin injection into the muscle belly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.
If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.
Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.
Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.
