| 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) |
|---|---|
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| communicating branches of auriculotemporal nerve to facial nerve | <anatomy, nerve> Branches conveying fibres from the auriculotemporal nerve to the facial nerve. Synonym: rami communicantes nervi auriculotemporalis cum nervo faciali. (05 Mar 2000) |
| communicating branches of lingual nerve to hypoglossal nerve | <anatomy, nerve> Communicating branches between the lingual nerve (from mandibular nerve) and hypoglossal nerve forming a plexus on the hypoglossus muscle. Synonym: rami communicantes nervi lingualis cum nervo hypoglosso. (05 Mar 2000) |
| communicating branch of facial nerve with glossopharyngeal nerve | <anatomy, nerve> A small branch from the digastric branch of the facial nerve to the glossopharyngeal nerve. Synonym: ramus communicans cum nervo glossopharyngeo, Haller's ansa. (05 Mar 2000) |