The temporal fascia covers the

temporalis muscle In anatomy, the temporalis muscle, also known as the temporal muscle, is one of the muscles of mastication (chewing). It is a broad, fan-shaped convergent muscle on each side of the head that fills the temporal fossa, superior to the zygomati ...

. It is a strong, fibrous investment, covered, laterally, by the

auricularis anterior The anterior auricular muscle, the smallest of the three auricular muscles, is thin and fan-shaped, and its fibers are pale and indistinct. It arises from the lateral edge of the epicranial aponeurosis, and its fibers converge to be inserted into ...

and superior, by the

galea aponeurotica The epicranial aponeurosis (aponeurosis epicranialis, galea aponeurotica) is an aponeurosis (a tough layer of dense fibrous tissue). It covers the upper part of the skull in humans and many other animals. Structure In humans, the epicranial ...

, and by part of the

orbicularis oculi The orbicularis oculi is a muscle in the face that closes the eyelids. It arises from the nasal part of the frontal bone, from the frontal process of the maxilla in front of the lacrimal groove, and from the anterior surface and borders of a short ...

. The superficial temporal vessels and the

auriculotemporal nerve The auriculotemporal nerve is a branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3) that runs with the superficial temporal artery and vein, and provides sensory innervation to various regions on the side of the head. Structure Origin The auriculotempo ...

cross it from below upward. Superiorly, it is a single layer, attached to the entire extent of the superior temporal line; but inferiorly, where it is fixed to the

zygomatic arch In anatomy, the zygomatic arch, or cheek bone, is a part of the skull formed by the zygomatic process of the temporal bone (a bone extending forward from the side of the skull, over the opening of the ear) and the temporal process of the zygo ...

, it consists of two layers, one of which is inserted into the lateral, and the other into the medial border of the arch. A small quantity of fat, the orbital branch of the

superficial temporal artery In human anatomy, the superficial temporal artery is a major artery of the head. It arises from the external carotid artery when it splits into the superficial temporal artery and maxillary artery. Its pulse can be felt above the zygomatic a ...

, and a filament from the zygomatic branch of the

maxillary nerve In neuroanatomy, the maxillary nerve (V) is one of the three branches or divisions of the trigeminal nerve, the fifth (CN V) cranial nerve. It comprises the principal functions of sensation from the maxilla, nasal cavity, sinuses, the palate a ...

, are contained between these two layers. It affords attachment by its deep surface to the superficial fibers of the temporalis. The parotid fascia proceeds to the temporal fascia.

References

Fascial spaces of the head and neck {{anatomy-stub