Mylohyoid (Musculus mylohyoideus)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
The true mouth floor: a muscular sheet from the mylohyoid line to the hyoid, fusing at the midline raphe — the "diaphragm" lifting the oral floor in swallowing and speech.
Origin & insertion
Mylohyoid line on the inner mandibular surface.
Action
Raises the oral floor and tongue in the oral phase of swallowing, pressing the tongue to the palate.
Innervation
Mylohyoid nerve — branch of the inferior alveolar (V3).
Clinical notes
Submandibular abscesses beneath it burst upward on mouth opening ("Ludwig angina") because the sheet blocks downward spread; its nerve canal matters in mandibular implant planning.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the Mylohyoid?
The true mouth floor: a muscular sheet from the mylohyoid line to the hyoid, fusing at the midline raphe — the "diaphragm" lifting the oral floor in swallowing and speech.
Why is the Mylohyoid clinically important?
Submandibular abscesses beneath it burst upward on mouth opening ("Ludwig angina") because the sheet blocks downward spread; its nerve canal matters in mandibular implant planning.
Source & license
BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). license details