Which muscle pulls back the corners of the lips?

Study for the Muscle Actions and Functions – Anatomy and Movement Test. Equip yourself with multiple choice questions, each with detailed explanations and hints. Prepare confidently for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which muscle pulls back the corners of the lips?

Explanation:
When moving the lips, the key players are facial expression muscles. The buccinator sits in the cheek and attaches at the corners of the mouth. When it contracts, it pulls those corners backward toward the cheek and tightens the cheek against the teeth. This action helps with cheek support during chewing and also assists in movements like blowing or whistling. The other muscles listed don’t move the lips: the masseter and temporalis lift the jaw for chewing, and the deltoid moves the shoulder. So pulling back the corners of the mouth is the job of the buccinator.

When moving the lips, the key players are facial expression muscles. The buccinator sits in the cheek and attaches at the corners of the mouth. When it contracts, it pulls those corners backward toward the cheek and tightens the cheek against the teeth. This action helps with cheek support during chewing and also assists in movements like blowing or whistling. The other muscles listed don’t move the lips: the masseter and temporalis lift the jaw for chewing, and the deltoid moves the shoulder. So pulling back the corners of the mouth is the job of the buccinator.

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