They’re a chewing power team. The temporalis and masseter both help close your jaw when you bite or chew.

You can feel both working. Clench your teeth and feel your temples for the temporalis, then your cheeks near the angle of your jaw for the masseter.

The masseter is incredibly strong. It can generate a large amount of force for its relatively small size, making it one of the body's most powerful muscles relative to its size.

They have different shapes. The temporalis is a broad, fan-shaped muscle, while the masseter is a thick, more rectangular muscle along the side of your jaw.

Jaw tension can involve both. Clenching and grinding can overwork the temporalis and masseter, sometimes contributing to jaw soreness or temple-area discomfort.