The larger of the two muscles of the tympanic cavity, is contained in the bony canal above the osseous portion of the auditory tube. Its role is to dampen sounds produced from chewing. It arises from the cartilaginous portion of the auditory tube and the adjoining part of the great wing of the sphenoid, as well as from the osseous canal in which it is contained. Passing backward through the canal, it ends in a slender tendon which enters the tympanic cavity, makes a sharp bend around the extremity of the septum, known as the processus cochleariformis[1], and is inserted into the manubrium of the malleus, near its root[WP]. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensor_tympani_muscle ]