Overview-
1. Boundaries- Anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, lateral, and medial.
2. Communication- Infratemporal fossa.
3. Content- Muscle, artery, and nerve.
● It is a fan shape, shallow fossa.
● Two in number and present on anterolateral side of the skull.
● Temporalis muscle (Fan shape muscle) are attached on it.
1. Boundaries-
The boundaries of temporal fossa are:
A. Anterior-
It is formed by frontal and zygomatic bone. (See Fig. Lateral view of skull)
B. Posterior-
It is formed by Inferior temporal line and supra mastoid crest.
C. Superior-
It is formed by Superior temporal line.
D. Inferior-
Inferiorly it is communicate with infra temporal fossa. (See communication of temporal fossa)
E. Lateral or Roof-
Temporal fascia, zygomatic arch form lateral boundary of temporal fossa.
F. Medial or Floor-
It is formed by the part of four skull bones: Frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid bone (Greater wing). (Fig. Lateral view of skull)
Pterion- See point 4 (Clinical)
2. Communication-
It is communicate below with infra temporal fossa through a space deep to the zygomatic arch. (See inferior boundaries of temporal fossa)
3. Content-
A. Muscle-
It contain the temporalis muscle (Muscle of mastication)
B. Artery-
● Middle meningeal Artery (Branch of superficial temporal artery)
● Deep temporal artery (This is the branch of 2nd part of maxillary artery)
● Zygomatico temporal artery (arise from Zygomatic branch of Lacrimal artery, and Lacrimal artery is the branch of ophthalmic artery)
NOTE: Superficial temporal artery and maxillary artery are the terminal branches of external carotid artery external carotid artery (ECA).
Ophthalmic artery is the branch of internal carotid artery (ICA).
C. Nerve-
● Zygomatico temporal nerve (from Zygomatic branch of maxillary nerve)- This is a cutaneous branch and supply to the skin (over the temple region).
● Deep temporal nerve (from anterior division of mandibular nerve)-
It is two in numbers (Anterior abd posterior) and supplies temporalis muscle.
NOTE: Maxillary and mandibular nerve both are the branch of trigeminal nerve (5th cranial nerve)
4.Clinical-
A. PterionPterion (Anterolateral fontanelle)-
It is present on anterolateral side of skull and Four skull bone (Frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid) meet here. (Fig. Lateral view of skull)
See floor or medial boundary of temporal fossa.
