Except for the geniohyoid muscle, which is innervated by the C1 spinal nerve, all muscles that move the temporomandibular joints are innervated by the mandibular nerve [V3] by branches that originate in the infratemporal fossa.
The masseter muscle is a powerful muscle of mastication that elevates the mandible (Fig. 8.141 and Table 8.11). It overlies the lateral surface of the ramus of the mandible.