Utilization of cadaver tissue for a scanning electron microscopic study of the insertion of the masseter muscle

1. The generally poor state of soft tissue preservation that complicates observations by gross dissection and light microscopy posed no hindrance to scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies of bone surface, because all of the soft tissues are chemically removed. 2. Specific and identifiable surface patterns representing locations of periosteal and fibrous muscle attachments can be readily observed in cadaver tissue with the SEM. 3. SEM observations confirmed earlier literature concerning the extent of periosteal and intraosseus attachments of the masseter muscle. The masseter muscle attached periosteally on the lateral surface of the mandible and along the inferior border. Just above the inferior border, a ridge of intraosseous attachment was noted. 4. The correlation of SEM observation of bone surface patterns with gross dissection and light microscopy demonstrated that SEM can be useful in determining the extent of muscle attachments in cadaver tissue even when the soft tissue is poorly preserved.