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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 T ...
just deep to the neck of the mandible.


Structure

The maxillary artery, the larger of the two terminal branches of 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 T ...
, 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 bone ...
, and is at first imbedded in the substance of the parotid gland; it passes forward between the ramus of the mandible and the sphenomandibular ligament, 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; it crosses the
inferior alveolar nerve The inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) (also the inferior dental nerve) is a branch of the mandibular nerve, which is itself the third branch of the trigeminal nerve. The inferior alveolar nerves supply sensation to the lower teeth. Structure The inf ...
, and runs along the lower border of the lateral pterygoid muscle. Branches include: *
Deep auricular artery The deep auricular artery often arises in common with the anterior tympanic artery. It ascends in the substance of the parotid gland, behind the temporomandibular articulation, pierces the cartilaginous or bony wall of the external acoustic meatu ...
* Anterior tympanic artery * Middle meningeal artery * Inferior alveolar artery which gives off its
mylohyoid branch The inferior alveolar artery (inferior dental artery) is an artery of the face. It is a branch of the first portion of the maxillary artery. Structure It descends with the inferior alveolar nerve to the mandibular foramen on the medial surface of ...
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 th ...


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 ner ...
. 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 The lesser palatine arteries are arteries of the head. It is a branch of the descending palatine artery. They supply the palatine tonsils and the soft palate. Structure The lesser palatine arteries are branches of the descending palatine arte ...
) * Infraorbital artery *
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 The artery of the pterygoid canal (or Vidian artery) is an artery in the pterygoid canal, in the head. It usually arises from the external carotid artery, but can arise from either the internal or external carotid artery or serve as an anastomo ...
* Pharyngeal branch, directed to
palatovaginal canal The palatovaginal canal (also pharyngeal canal) is a canal between the sphenoid bone and the palatine bone that connects the nasopharynx with the pterygopalatine fossa. It transmits the pharyngeal branch of the third part of the maxillary artery ...
* Middle superior alveolar artery (a branch of the infraorbital artery) * Anterior superior alveolar arteries (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 (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 Anatomi ...
.) 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