Relationships between masticatory muscle cross-section and skull shape.

Cross-sectional areas of the masseter, temporalis and medial, and lateral pterygoid muscles were determined in 16 subjects by means of computer tomography. In each subject three scans were made, intersecting the thickest part of the muscles at right angles to the fiber direction. The masseter and medial pterygoid muscles are large in persons with brachycephalic skulls, short faces, and a small jaw angle. The cross-sectional areas of the temporalis and lateral pterygoid muscles showed no correlation with facial dimensions.