Researchers found a new part in the human body, and its existence is an interesting thing to discuss. You can also check it directly, you know! The findings were later published in the journal Annals of Anatomy.
Researchers have confirmed the presence of a layer of muscle in the human jaw that until now had escaped the attention of anatomists. This new muscle is the deeper third of the masseter muscle. This is the most prominent jaw muscle.
To find it, you can press your hand to the back of your jaw as you chew. You will feel it move.
Through analysis of more than 24 human heads including living subjects and 12 heads preserved in formaldehyde, it has been established through a new study that the masseter muscle does indeed have three distinct sections instead of two.
"The interior of the masseter muscle is clearly distinguishable from the other two layers in terms of pathways and functions," said Szilvia Mezey, from the Department of Biomedical at Basel University, Switzerland.
Quoted from Science Alert, the name Musculus masseter pars coronidea, or the coronoid part of the masseter, has been proposed for the new muscle layer by the researchers, because it is attached to the muscular process (coronoid) of the mandible. The way the muscle fibers in the Musculus masseter pars coronidea are arranged suggests that the newly discovered anatomic region plays an important role in maintaining the stability of the mandible.
Meanwhile, other mammals also have more than two layers in this muscle group. However, it is not clear whether any of them have the same or equivalent function as Musculus masseter pars coronidea. Which adds to the mystery of this section, the chimpanzee is not found Musculus masseter pars coronidea.
This discovery created an update on the record of human anatomy. Plus, with further research, identification of this muscle layer could help with all types of surgical procedures and therapeutic treatments involving the mandible.