| pterygoid pit | A depression on the antero-medial side of the neck of the condylar process of the mandible, giving attachment to the lateral pterygoid muscle. Synonym: fovea pterygoidea, pterygoid depression, pterygoid pit. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| pterygoid plates | See: lateral pterygoid plate, medial pterygoid plate. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pterygoid plexus | A venous plexus occupying the infratemporal fossa receiving veins accompanying the branches of the maxillary artery, and terminating posteriorly in the maxillary vein; anteriorly the pterygoid plexus drains via the deep facial vein into the facial vein. Synonym: plexus pterygoideus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pterygoid process | A long process extending downward from the junction of the body and great wing of the sphenoid bone on either side; it is formed of two plates (lateral and medial), united anteriorly but separated below to form the pterygoid notch; the pterygoid fossa is formed by the divergence of these two plates posteriorly. Synonym: processus pterygoideus, os pterygoideum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pterygoid ridge of sphenoid bone | A rough ridge marking the angle of union of the temporal and infratemporal surfaces of the greater wing of the sphenoid bone. Synonym: crista infratemporalis, pterygoid ridge of sphenoid bone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pterygoid tubercle | A slight prominence on the posterior surface of the medial pterygoid plate, inferior and to the medial side of the pterygoid canal. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pterygoid tuberosity | A roughened area on the internal aspect of the mandible, giving attachment to fibres of the medial pterygoid muscle. Synonym: tuberositas pterygoidea. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nerve of pterygoid canal | The nerve constituting the parasympathetic and sympathetic root of the pterygopalatine ganglion; it is formed in the region of the foramen lacerum by the union of the greater superficial petrosal and the deep petrosal nerves, and runs through the pterygoid canal to the pterygopalatine fossa. Synonym: nervus canalis pterygoidei, radix facialis, facial root, vidian nerve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sulcus of pterygoid hamulus | A groove at the base of the hamular process which forms a pulley for the tendon of the tensor veli palatini muscle. Synonym: sulcus hamuli pterygoidei, sulcus of pterygoid hamulus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| internal pterygoid muscle | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, pterygoid fossa of sphenoid and tuberosity of maxilla; insertion, medial surface of mandible between angle and mylohyoid groove; action, elevates mandible closing jaw; nerve supply, nerve to medial pterygoid from mandibular division of trigeminal. Synonym: musculus pterygoideus medialis, internal pterygoid muscle, musculus pterygoideus internus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| external pterygoid muscle | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, inferior head from lateral lamina of pterygoid process; superior head from infratemporal crest and adjacent greater wing of the sphenoid; insertion, into pterygoid pit of mandible and articular disk; action, brings jaw forward, opens jaw; nerve supply, nerve to lateral pterygoid from mandibular division of trigeminal. Synonym: musculus pterygoideus lateralis, external pterygoid muscle, musculus pterygoideus externus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lateral plate of pterygoid process | The larger and more lateral of the two bony plates extending downward from the point of union of the body and greater wing of the sphenoid bone on either side; forms medial wall of intfratemporal fossa and gives origin to pterygoi muscles. Synonym: lamina lateralis processus pterygoidei, lateral plate of pterygoid process. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lateral pterygoid | <anatomy, muscle> Origin, inferior head from lateral lamina of pterygoid process; superior head from infratemporal crest and adjacent greater wing of the sphenoid; insertion, into pterygoid pit of mandible and articular disk; action, brings jaw forward, opens jaw; nerve supply, nerve to lateral pterygoid from mandibular division of trigeminal. Synonym: musculus pterygoideus lateralis, external pterygoid muscle, musculus pterygoideus externus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| lateral pterygoid plate | The larger and more lateral of the two bony plates extending downward from the point of union of the body and greater wing of the sphenoid bone on either side; forms medial wall of intfratemporal fossa and gives origin to pterygoi muscles. Synonym: lamina lateralis processus pterygoidei, lateral plate of pterygoid process. (05 Mar 2000) |