Infraorbital Foramen
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In human anatomy, the infraorbital foramen is one of two small holes in the skull's upper jawbone ( maxillary bone), located below the
eye socket In anatomy, the orbit is the cavity or socket/hole of the skull in which the eye and its appendages are situated. "Orbit" can refer to the bony socket, or it can also be used to imply the contents. In the adult human, the volume of the orbit is ...
and to the left and right of the nose. Both holes are used for blood vessels and nerves. In anatomical terms, it is located below the infraorbital margin of the
orbit In celestial mechanics, an orbit (also known as orbital revolution) is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an ...
. It transmits the infraorbital artery and
vein Veins () are blood vessels in the circulatory system of humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are those of the pulmonary and feta ...
, and the infraorbital nerve, a branch of the
maxillary nerve In neuroanatomy, the maxillary nerve (V) is one of the three branches or divisions of the trigeminal nerve, the fifth (CN V) cranial nerve. It comprises the principal functions of Sense, sensation from the maxilla, nasal cavity, Sinus (anatomy ...
. It is typically from the infraorbital margin.


Structure

Forming the exterior end of the infraorbital canal, the infraorbital foramen communicates with the
infraorbital groove The infraorbital groove (or sulcus) is located in the middle of the posterior part of the orbital surface of the maxilla. Its function is to act as the passage of the infraorbital artery, the infraorbital vein, and the infraorbital nerve. Struc ...
, the canal's opening on the interior side. The ramifications of the three principal branches of the
trigeminal nerve In neuroanatomy, the trigeminal nerve (literal translation, lit. ''triplet'' nerve), also known as the fifth cranial nerve, cranial nerve V, or simply CN V, is a cranial nerve responsible for Sense, sensation in the face and motor functions ...
—at the supraorbital, infraorbital, and
mental foramen The mental foramen is one of two foramina (openings) located on the anterior surface of the mandible. It is part of the mandibular canal. It transmits the terminal branches of the inferior alveolar nerve and the mental vessels. Structure Th ...
—are distributed on a vertical line (in anterior view) passing through the middle of the
pupil The pupil is a hole located in the center of the iris of the eye that allows light to strike the retina.Cassin, B. and Solomon, S. (1990) ''Dictionary of Eye Terminology''. Gainesville, Florida: Triad Publishing Company. It appears black becau ...
. The infraorbital foramen is used as a pressure point to test the sensitivity of the infraorbital nerve. Palpation of the infraorbital foramen during an extraoral examination or an administration of a local anesthetic agent will cause soreness to the area.Illustrated Anatomy of the Head and Neck, Fehrenbach and Herring, Elsevier, 2012, page 55


See also

*
Foramina of the skull This article lists Foramen, foramina that occur in the human body. __TOC__ Skull The human skull has numerous openings (foramen, foramina), through which cranial nerves, arteries, veins, and other structures pass. These foramina vary in siz ...


Additional images


References


External links

* () * (closeup) * (distance)
Upstate.edu
* Foramina of the skull {{musculoskeletal-stub