Muscle · Jaw

Temporalis

Musculus temporalis

A broad fan of muscle filling the hollow of the temple, running down under the cheekbone to grip the jaw. Its front fibres run vertically and slam the teeth together; its back fibres run almost horizontally and pull the jaw backwards, which makes it the muscle that both clenches and positions the jaw. It is one of the two muscles most worth knowing for jaw and headache work: people who clench under stress load it thousands of times a day at low level, and a tender temporalis is a common finding in someone whose headache sits at the temple and behind the eye.