Levator labii superioris

Origin: Medial infra-orbital margin

Insertion: Skin and muscle of the upper lip (labii superioris)

Artery: Facial artery

Nerve: Buccal branch of the facial nerve

Action: Elevatesthe upper lip

Description:
The levator labii superioris is a broad sheet, the origin of which extends from the side of the nose to the zygomatic bone. Its medial fibers form the angular head, whicharises by a pointed extremity from the upper part of the frontal process of the maxilla and passing obliquely downward and lateralward divides into two slips. One of these is insertedinto the greater alar cartilage and skin of the nose; the other is prolonged into the lateral part of the upper lip, blending with the infraorbital head and with the Orbicularis oris. The intermediate portion or infraorbital head arises from the lower margin of the orbit immediately above the infraorbital foramen, some of its fibers being attached to the maxilla, others to the zygomatic bone. Its fibers converge, to be inserted into the muscular substance of the upper lip between the angular head and the Caninus. The lateral fibers, forming thezygomatic head, arise from the malar surface of the zygomatic bone immediately behind the zygomaticomaxillary suture and pass downward and medialward to the upper lip.