| Dilator naris muscle | |
|---|---|
 Muscles of the head, face, and neck. | |
| Details | |
| Origin | Margin of the nasal notch of themaxilla,greater andlesser alar cartilages |
| Insertion | Skin near the margin of thenostril |
| Nerve | Buccal branch of the facial nerve |
| Actions | Dilatesnostrils |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | pars alaris musculi nasalis |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
Thedilator naris muscle (oralae nasi muscle) is a part of thenasalis muscle. It has an anterior and a posterior part. It has origins from the nasal notch of themaxilla and themajor alar cartilage, and a single insertion near the margin of thenostril. It controls nostril width, including changes during breathing. Its function can be tested as an analogue for the function of thefacial nerve (VII), which supplies it.
The dilator naris muscle is divided into posterior and anterior parts.
The dilator naris muscle is supplied by thefacial nerve (VII).[3]
The dilator naris muscle has a role in widening and narrowing the nostril, along with other muscles.[3][4] It may prevent the collapse of the nostril duringinhalation, particularly in people with narrower nostrils.[4] Therespiratory centre of thebrainstem can use the muscle to control nostril width in relation tobreathing.[3][5] It also moves the tip of thenose slightly.[2]
The function of the dilator naris muscle can be used as an analogue for the activity of thefacial nerve (VII).[5]
The dilator naris muscle may also be known as the alae nasi muscle.[4]
This article incorporates text in thepublic domain frompage 382 of the 20th edition ofGray's Anatomy(1918)
