| Dilator naris muscle | |
|---|---|
 Muscles of the head, face, and neck. | |
| Details | |
| Origin | Margin of the nasal notch of the maxilla, greater and lesser alar cartilages |
| Insertion | Skin near the margin of the nostril |
| Nerve | Buccal branch of the facial nerve |
| Actions | Dilates nostrils |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | pars alaris musculi nasalis |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
The dilator naris muscle (or alae nasi muscle) is a part of the nasalis muscle. It has an anterior and a posterior part. It has origins from the nasal notch of the maxilla and the major alar cartilage, and a single insertion near the margin of the nostril. It controls nostril width, including changes during breathing. Its function can be tested as an analogue for the function of the facial nerve (VII), which supplies it.