A patient has a fracture at the ramus of the mandible. Which of the following muscles is most responsible for elevating the mandible in this region?

The masseter muscle inserts on the lateral surface of the ramus and angle of the mandible, making it the primary elevator of the mandible at the ramus. The temporalis inserts on the coronoid process and anterior border of the ramus and also elevates the mandible, but its primary insertion is coronoid. The lateral pterygoid depresses and protrudes the mandible (it opens the mouth). The buccinator is a cheek muscle with no mandibular elevation function. In ramus fractures, the masseter-medial pterygoid sling maintains the proximal segment, making favorable vs. unfavorable fracture classification important in treatment planning.