Question

Which of the following accurately describes the action of the masseter muscle?

A. It depresses and retracts the mandible
B. It elevates and retracts the mandible
C. It elevates and protracts the mandible
D. It depresses and protracts the mandible

Answer 1

The masseter muscle elevates the mandible to close the mouth and is mainly used for chewing, rather than protracting or retracting the mandible.Hence, option C is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The action of the masseter muscle accurately described is that it elevates and protracts the mandible. The masseter is the main muscle used for chewing (mastication), as it elevates the mandible to close the mouth. However, protraction and retraction of the mandible involve moving the lower jaw forward and backward, respectively, and the masseter is not primarily responsible for these actions. Instead, the masseter works alongside the temporalis muscle, which assists in retracting the mandible.