Definition: Two of the masticatory muscles: the internal, or medial, pterygoid muscle and external, or lateral, pterygoid muscle. Action of the former is closing the jaws and that of the latter is opening the jaws, protruding the mandible, and moving the mandible from side to side.
/growth: coord with MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT; /embryol: coord with MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT if pertinent
Other names Pterygoid Muscle; Muscles, Pterygoid; Muscle, Pterygoid
