[The external pterygoid muscle. Functional aspects].

This study, starting from the revision of traditional anatomy proposed to value TMJ and its components through dissection of human TMJ, and especially to examine the anatomic function of the lateral pterygoid muscle. Twenty dissections of left human TMJ were made. Every block was fixed in solution of 10% of formalin and dissections were made to show every components of articulation. Further thin sections were made for histological examination. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the lateral pterygoid muscle as a single unit compared to the function.