The maxillary artery supplies deep structures of the face. It branches from the

external carotid artery The external carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. It arises from the common carotid artery when it splits into the external and internal carotid artery. External carotid artery supplies blood to the face and neck. Structure ...

just deep to the neck of the mandible.

Structure

The maxillary artery, the larger of the two terminal branches of the

, arises behind the neck of the

mandible In anatomy, the mandible, lower jaw or jawbone is the largest, strongest and lowest bone in the human facial skeleton. It forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place. The mandible sits beneath the maxilla. It is the only movable bon ...

, and is at first imbedded in the substance of the

parotid gland The parotid gland is a major salivary gland in many animals. In humans, the two parotid glands are present on either side of the mouth and in front of both ears. They are the largest of the salivary glands. Each parotid is wrapped around the m ...

; it passes forward between the

ramus of the mandible In anatomy, the mandible, lower jaw or jawbone is the largest, strongest and lowest bone in the human facial skeleton. It forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place. The mandible sits beneath the maxilla. It is the only movable bon ...

and the

sphenomandibular ligament The sphenomandibular ligament (internal lateral ligament) is one of the three ligaments of the temporomandibular joint. It is situated medially to - and generally separate from - the articular capsule of the joint. Superiorly, it is attached to th ...

, and then runs, either superficial or deep to the lateral pterygoid muscle, to the pterygopalatine fossa. It supplies the deep structures of the face, and may be divided into mandibular, pterygoid, and pterygopalatine portions.

First portion

The ''first'' or ''mandibular '' or ''bony'' portion passes horizontally forward, between the neck of the mandible and the sphenomandibular ligament, where it lies parallel to and a little below the

auriculotemporal nerve The auriculotemporal nerve is a branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3) that runs with the superficial temporal artery and vein, and provides sensory innervation to various regions on the side of the head. Structure Origin The auriculotemp ...

; it crosses the inferior alveolar nerve, and runs along the lower border of the lateral pterygoid muscle. Branches include: * Deep auricular artery * Anterior tympanic artery * Middle meningeal artery * Inferior alveolar artery which gives off its mylohyoid branch just prior to entering the mandibular foramen * Accessory meningeal artery

Second portion

The ''second'' or ''pterygoid'' or ''muscular'' portion runs obliquely forward and upward under cover of the ramus of the mandible and insertion of the temporalis, on the superficial (very frequently on the deep) surface of the lateral pterygoid muscle; it then passes between the two heads of origin of this muscle and enters the fossa. Branches include: * Masseteric artery * Pterygoid branches * Deep temporal arteries (anterior and posterior) *

Buccal artery The buccal artery (buccinator artery) is a small artery in the head. It branches off the second part of the maxillary artery and supplies the cheek and buccinator muscle. Course It runs obliquely forward, between the pterygoideus internus and the ...

Third portion

The ''third'' or ''pterygopalatine'' or ''pterygomaxillary portion'' lies in the pterygopalatine fossa in relation with the

pterygopalatine ganglion The pterygopalatine ganglion (aka Meckel's ganglion, nasal ganglion, or sphenopalatine ganglion) is a parasympathetic ganglion found in the pterygopalatine fossa. It is largely innervated by the greater petrosal nerve (a branch of the facial n ...

. This is considered the terminal branch of the maxillary artery. Branches include: * Sphenopalatine artery (nasopalatine artery) is the terminal branch of the Maxillary artery * Descending palatine artery (

Greater palatine artery The greater palatine artery is a branch of the descending palatine artery (a terminal branch of the maxillary artery) and contributes to the blood supply of the hard palate and nasal septum. Course The descending palatine artery branches off of ...

and lesser palatine artery) *

Infraorbital artery The infraorbital artery is an artery in the head that branches off the maxillary artery, emerging through the infraorbital foramen, just under the orbit of the eye. Course The infraorbital artery appears, from its direction, to be the continu ...

Posterior superior alveolar artery The posterior superior alveolar artery (posterior dental artery) is given off from the maxillary, frequently in conjunction with the infraorbital artery just as the trunk of the vessel is passing into the pterygopalatine fossa. Branches Descendin ...

* Artery of pterygoid canal * Pharyngeal branch, directed to palatovaginal canal * Middle superior alveolar artery (a branch of the infraorbital artery) *

Anterior superior alveolar arteries The anterior superior alveolar arteries originate from the infraorbital artery; they supply the upper incisors and canines; they also supply the mucous membrane of the maxillary sinus. See also * Anterior superior alveolar nerve * Posterior supe ...

(a branch of the infraorbital artery)

Nomenclature

* Formerly, the term "external maxillary artery" was used to describe what is now known as the

facial artery The facial artery (external maxillary artery in older texts) is a branch of the external carotid artery that supplies structures of the superficial face. Structure The facial artery arises in the carotid triangle from the external carotid arter ...

(per

Terminologia anatomica ''Terminologia Anatomica'' is the international standard for human anatomical terminology. It is developed by the Federative International Programme on Anatomical Terminology, a program of the International Federation of Associations of Anatomis ...

.) Currently, the term "external maxillary artery" is less commonly used, and the terms "internal maxillary artery" and "maxillary artery" are equivalent.

Additional images

File:Maxillary artery.PNG, Superficial dissection of the right side of the neck, showing the carotid and subclavian arteries. Origin of maxillary artery is labeled. File:Gray176.png, Mandible. Outer surface. Side view. File:Lateral head anatomy detail.jpg, Lateral head anatomy detail File:Head ap anatomy.jpg, Head anatomy anterior view File:Slide2hhh.JPG, Maxillary artery File:Slide7dddd.JPG, Maxillary artery File:Slide7cece.JPG, Infratemporal fossa. Lingual and inferior alveolar nerve. Deep dissection. Anterolateral view

References

External links

* () * - "Infratemporal Fossa: Branches of the Maxillary Artery"
Overview at tufts.edu
{{Authority control Arteries of the head and neck