The extrinsic laryngeal muscles support and position the larynx within the mid-cervical region. They are divided in:
- Inferior Hyoid Muscles:
- Sternothyroid muscles depress the larynx.
- Omohyoid muscles depress the larynx.
- Sternohyoid muscles depress the larynx.
- Thyrohyoid muscles elevates the larynx. (it is a hyoid depressor)
- Superior Hyoid Muscles:
- Digastric elevates the larynx.
- Stylohyoid elevates the larynx.
- Mylohyoid elevates the larynx.
- Geniohyoid elevates the larynx.
There are other muscles involved in supporting and moving the Larynx that are not Hyoid muscles:
- Extrinsic muscles of the tongue (see also Extrinsic Tongue Muscles):
- Hyoglossus elevates the larynx.
- Genioglossus elevates the larynx
- Pharynx muscle (See also Muscles of the Pharynx):
- Inferior Constrictor of the Pharynx muscles of pharynx support the larynx.