The submandibular duct or Wharton duct or submaxillary duct, is one of the salivary excretory ducts. It is about 5 cm. long, and its wall is much thinner than that of the parotid duct. It drains saliva from each bilateral

submandibular gland The paired submandibular glands (historically known as submaxillary glands) are major salivary glands located beneath the floor of the mouth. They each weigh about 15 grams and contribute some 60–67% of unstimulated saliva secretion; on stimula ...

and

sublingual gland The paired sublingual glands are major salivary glands in the mouth. They are the smallest, most diffuse, and the only unencapsulated major salivary glands. They provide only 3-5% of the total salivary volume. There are also two other types of sal ...

to the

sublingual caruncle The paired submandibular glands (historically known as submaxillary glands) are major salivary glands located beneath the floor of the mouth. They each weigh about 15 grams and contribute some 60–67% of unstimulated saliva secretion; on stimula ...

in the floor of the mouth.

Structure

270px, Picture of the mouth showing the sublingual caruncle and related anatomical structures The submandibular duct arises from deep part of

, a salivary gland. It begins by numerous branches from the superficial surface of the gland, and runs forward between the mylohyoid, hyoglossus, and genioglossus

muscle Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as muscles) are organs of the vertebrate muscular system and typically are attached by tendons to bones of a skeleton. The muscle cells of skeletal muscles are much longer than in the other types of muscl ...

s. It then passes between the sublingual gland and the genioglossus and opens by a narrow opening on the summit of a small papilla (the "sublingual caruncle") at the side of the frenulum of the tongue. It lies superior to

lingual Lingual may refer to: * Tongue, a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication * Lingual, in palaeontology, the side of the teeth that faces the tongue * Lingual artery arises from the e ...

and hypoglossal nerves.

Variation

The submandibular duct may be duplicated on one side or both sides, creating an accessory submandibular duct. Rarely, it may not perforate into the

mouth In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on ...

Function

The submandibular ducts drain

saliva Saliva (commonly referred to as spit) is an extracellular fluid produced and secreted by salivary glands in the mouth. In humans, saliva is around 99% water, plus electrolytes, mucus, white blood cells, epithelial cells (from which DNA can be ...

from the

, and the

s to the sublingual caruncles in the floor of the mouth

Clinical significance

Sialolithiasis

The submandibular duct may be affected by stones, known as sialolithiasis. These may grow large, requiring

surgery Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...

to remove. Simple palpation may be used to identify the location of any stones before surgery.

Imperforate

Rarely, the submandibular duct may not perforate into the

Surgery Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...

may be used to repair this birth defect.

Drooling

The exit of the submandibular gland into the mouth may be realigned in patients who drool. This redirects the exiting saliva away from the

vestibule Vestibule or Vestibulum can have the following meanings, each primarily based upon a common origin, from early 17th century French, derived from Latin ''vestibulum, -i n.'' "entrance court". Anatomy In general, vestibule is a small space or cavity ...

and the lips. This

has a fairly high success rate. Rarely, the submandibular gland may need to be removed on one or both sides.

History

The submandibular duct was initially described by the English anatomist Thomas Wharton ( 1614-73) and is sometimes referred to by his name.

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Glands of mouth Saliva