Final answer:
Lateral movement of the mandible refers to the side-to-side excursion motion away from the midline, controlled by muscles like the lateral pterygoid and enabled by the TMJ.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lateral movement of the mandible working side refers to the lateral excursion, which is the side-to-side movement of the mandible away from the midline of the face, toward either the right or left side. This motion is controlled by muscles such as the lateral pterygoid muscle, which facilitates the movement of the mandible from side to side. The movement is an essential aspect of mastication (chewing) and is enabled by the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), allowing the mandible to engage in both gliding and ginglymus motions. When engaging in lateral excursion, the mandibular condyle and articular disc glide out of the mandibular fossa onto the articular tubercle, which is a projection on the temporal bone.