The lateral pterygoid nerve (or external pterygoid nerve) is a branch of the anterior division of the
mandibular nerve
In neuroanatomy, the mandibular nerve (V) is the largest of the three divisions of the trigeminal nerve, the fifth cranial nerve (CN V). Unlike the other divisions of the trigeminal nerve (ophthalmic nerve, maxillary nerve) which contain only aff ...
. It usually originates as two separate branches that travel near the
buccal nerve, and enter the deep surfaces of the superior and inferior heads of the
lateral pterygoid muscle.
Nerve pathway
*
trigeminal nerve (CN V)
*
mandibular nerve
In neuroanatomy, the mandibular nerve (V) is the largest of the three divisions of the trigeminal nerve, the fifth cranial nerve (CN V). Unlike the other divisions of the trigeminal nerve (ophthalmic nerve, maxillary nerve) which contain only aff ...
(V3)
* anterior division of mandibular nerve
Variation
Some authors describe the lateral pterygoid nerve as a single branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve which then bifurcates to enter the two heads of the lateral pterygoid muscle.
References
Mandibular nerve
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