Exploring the Parts of the Human Face: A Comprehensive Guide

The human face, a crucial area of anatomy, is the most anterior part of the head. It spans from the upper forehead to the chin and from ear to ear.

The basic shape of the human face is defined by the underlying facial skeleton (viscerocranium), the facial muscles, and the amount of subcutaneous tissue present.

The face plays a vital role in communication and the expression of emotions and moods. Moreover, the basic shape and other features of the face provide us with our external identity, as there are diverse face types.

This article will delve into the anatomy and structure of the human face, detailing its parts and regions.

Key Points About the Human Face
Definition	Most anterior part of the head
Parts and Regions	Superior: frontal region, orbital region, temporal region Middle: nasal region, infraorbital region, zygomatic region, auricular region Inferior: oral region, mental region, cheek region, parotidomasseteric region
Bones of the Face	Paired Bones: nasal conchae, nasal bones, maxillary bones, palatine bones, lacrimal bones, zygomatic bones Unpaired Bones: mandible, vomer
Muscles of the Face	Muscles of the Mouth (buccolabial group): levator labii superioris, levator labii superioris alaeque nasi, risorius, levator anguli oris (caninus), zygomaticus major, zygomaticus minor, depressor labii inferioris, depressor anguli oris, mentalis, orbicularis oris, buccinator Muscles of the Nose (nasal group): nasalis, procerus Muscles of the Eyelids (orbital group): orbicularis oculi, corrugator supercilii, depressor supercilii Muscles of the Scalp and Neck (epicranial group): occipitofrontalis, platysma Muscles of the External Ear (auricular group): auricularis anterior, auricularis posterior, auricularis superior
Functions	Communication, expression of emotions, identity

Bones of the Face (Viscerocranium)

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The facial skeleton, also known as the viscerocranium, consists of fourteen bones: six paired and two unpaired.

The bones of the viscerocranium include:

Paired bones:
- Nasal conchae (inferior)
- Nasal bones
- Maxillary bones (maxillae)
- Palatine bones
- Lacrimal bones
- Zygomatic bones
Unpaired bones:
- Mandible
- Vomer

The primary function of these bones is to shape the face and protect internal structures. Additionally, these bones provide openings for neurovascular structures to pass through and bony landmarks for the attachment of facial muscles.

Muscles of the Face

The muscles of the face, also known as the muscles of facial expression or mimic muscles, comprise a group of approximately 20 superficial skeletal muscles located in the face and scalp. They are divided into five different groups based on their location and function:

Muscles of the mouth (buccolabial group)
Muscles of the nose (nasal group)
Muscles of the eyelids (orbital group)
Muscles of the scalp and neck (epicranial group)
Muscles of the external ear (auricular group)

All facial muscles originate from the bony and fibrous structures of the skull and insert into the skin. The main function of the facial muscles is to provide a wide range of facial expressions, crucial for conveying emotions and moods (e.g., smiling, frowning, etc.). Furthermore, these muscles assist in opening and closing the mouth and eyes, thus protecting the delicate structures of the face.

Regions of the Face

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The face is divided into superior, middle, and inferior parts.

Superior Part of the Face

The superior part of the face extends from the hairline to the inferior border of the orbit. Laterally, its borders extend to the temporal region. The superior face can be further divided into three regions: frontal, orbital, and temporal.

These regions are characterized as follows:

Frontal Region: Located in the forehead, superior to the orbital region. It is defined by the frontal bone underneath and covered by the frontalis muscle, part of the occipitofrontalis muscle.
Orbital Region: Surrounds the eye and contains the bony orbit, the eyeball, and associated muscles and nerves. Key muscles in this region include the orbicularis oculi, corrugator supercilii, and depressor supercilii, which control eyelid and eyebrow movements.
Temporal Region: Situated laterally on the skull, superior to the zygomatic arch and anterior to the ear. It contains the temporalis muscle, important for chewing, and the superficial temporal artery and vein.

Middle Part of the Face

The middle part of the face extends from the lower eyelids to the superior border of the upper lip. This portion of the face is characterized by four regions, including the nasal, infraorbital, zygomatic, and auricular regions.

Nasal Region: Located in the central portion of the face and, as its name suggests, includes the nose. The nose is the central pyramidal structure, situated in the midline, consisting of a root, apex, and dorsum. The root of the nose is formed mainly by the nasal bone and is covered by the nasalis muscle. The apex of the nose terminates inferiorly in a rounded “tip”. The area between the root and apex is the dorsum of the nose, which is formed by nasal cartilage. Superficially, the dorsum of the nose is covered by adipose bodies and skin.
Infraorbital Region: Located above the maxillae, while the zygomatic region lies over the zygomatic bones. These regions are lateral to the nose and mark the superior portion of the cheeks, which are prominences located over the zygomatic arch and composed of muscles and adipose tissue. The zygomatic arch is composed of two bones, the zygomatic and temporal bones. The muscular layer of the cheeks contains several muscles, including the masseter, levator labii superioris alaeque nasi, zygomaticus minor and major, risorius, levator anguli oris (caninus), and buccinator. The cheek muscles are covered by adipose bodies and skin.
Auricular Region: The most lateral region of the face. It contains the ear (auricular concha). The internal structure of the ear is composed of cartilage and covered by skin. The ears are surrounded by three auricular muscles (anterior, posterior, and superior).

Inferior Part of the Face

The inferior part of the face is bordered superiorly by the superior border of the upper lip and inferiorly by the inferior border of the chin. The lateral borders of the inferior face are formed by the angles of the mandible on each side. This part can be divided into the oral, mental, cheek, and parotidomasseteric regions.

Oral Region: Surrounds the lips, which are the most prominent structures in the inferior part of the face and can be divided into the upper and lower lips. The upper lip is associated with the maxilla, while the lower lip is associated with the mandible. The lips are mainly surrounded by the orbicularis oris muscle, whose function is to alter the shape of the lips when we speak or eat. Other muscles that facilitate lip movements are the risorius, mentalis, depressor labii inferioris, and depressor anguli oris. Lip movements enable many actions such as speaking, eating, and kissing.
Mental Region: Located inferior to the mouth and contains the chin, a central structure that lies over the mental protuberance of the mandible.
Cheek Region: Situated just inferior to the infraorbital and zygomatic regions and comprises the lower portion of the cheeks. It mainly refers to the area marked by the buccinator muscle. The inferior border of the cheek region is the jawline, which corresponds to the bony landmark known as the base of the mandible.
Parotidomasseteric Region: Located lateral to the cheek region. This region is named so because the parotid gland and the masseter muscle are found within it.

Explore the regions of the face in more detail with our study unit below!

[ Learn faster Regions of the head and neck 1 video Study and exam simulations

Explore study unit ](/es/study/regiones-de-la-cabeza-y-la-cara “Regions of the head and neck: Explore study unit”)

Irrigation

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The face has a rich blood supply thanks to the subdermal vascular plexus, which is mainly formed by musculocutaneous arteries from the superficial temporal and facial arteries. The facial artery originates from the external carotid artery, which turns around the inferior border of the mandible and ascends along the side of the nose. The superficial temporal artery arises from the external carotid artery and emits numerous branches that supply different parts of the face, including the transverse facial artery and the middle temporal artery.

Venous blood from the face drains from the subdermal plexus into the deep venous plexus through communicating veins. Major facial veins include the facial vein, retromandibular vein, and external jugular vein.

Innervation

The three divisions of the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V) are responsible for the somatic sensation of the entire face, corresponding to the three embryonic origins.

The ophthalmic nerve (V1), which embryologically derives from the frontonasal prominence, innervates the anterior scalp, forehead, and dorsum of the nose.

The maxillary nerve (V2), derived from the maxillary prominence of the embryo, provides innervation to the anterior cheek, lateral face, upper lip, side of the nose, and lower eyelid.

The mandibular nerve (V3) has its embryonic origin in the mandibular prominence and innervates the lower lip, chin, and posterior cheek.

Test your knowledge with the following quiz:

Clinical Correlations

Facial Clefts

Abnormalities of facial growth and development are unfortunately varied and relatively frequent. Some permanent complications affect facial appearance and can lead to difficulties in hearing, speech, feeding, swallowing, and breathing. The most common and well-known facial abnormalities, called facial clefts or fissures, are:

Cleft lip (labial cleft): Partial or complete failure of fusion of the maxillary prominences with the nasal prominence on one or both sides. Depending on the severity of the lack of fusion, this can result in a partial or complete, unilateral or bilateral cleft lip.
Cleft palate: Cleft palates are divided into primary and secondary, depending on their location with respect to the incisive foramen of the maxilla, with primary clefts anterior and secondary clefts posterior. The primary (or anterior) cleft palate includes lateral cleft lip, cleft maxilla, and a cleft between the primary and secondary palate. Posterior to the incisive foramen, clefts can be of the secondary palate or what is known as bifid or cleft uvula. Cleft palates result from a failure of fusion between the palatal shelves. Infrequently, a cleft from the lip to the secondary palate may be found.
Oblique facial cleft: When the maxillary prominence fails to fuse with the nasal prominence, the nasolacrimal duct is exposed. This is an extremely rare condition.
Median cleft: This type of anomaly occurs with the incomplete fusion of the two medial nasal prominences in the midline. This particular defect can have much more serious consequences compared to the other types of clefts and is associated with cognitive disability and brain abnormalities.

Bibliography

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References:

Standring, S. (2016). Gray’s Anatomy (41st ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.
Netter, F. (2019). Atlas of Human Anatomy (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.
Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F., & Agur, A. M. R. (2014). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Nguyen JD, Duong H. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Cheeks. [Updated 2021 Aug 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-.
Nguyen JD, Duong H. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Face. [Updated 2021 Jun 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-.

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