neuroanatomy Neuroanatomy is the study of the structure and organization of the nervous system. In contrast to animals with radial symmetry, whose nervous system consists of a distributed network of cells, animals with bilateral symmetry have segregated, defi ...

, the mandibular nerve (V) is the largest of the three divisions 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 ...

, the fifth

cranial nerve Cranial nerves are the nerves that emerge directly from the brain (including the brainstem), of which there are conventionally considered twelve pairs. Cranial nerves relay information between the brain and parts of the body, primarily to and f ...

(CN V). Unlike the other divisions of the trigeminal nerve (

ophthalmic nerve The ophthalmic nerve (CN V1) is a sensory nerve of the head. It is one of three divisions of the trigeminal nerve (CN V), a cranial nerve. It has three major branches which provide sensory innervation to the eye, and the skin of the upper face ...

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 ...

) which contain only afferent fibers, the mandibular nerve contains both afferent and efferent fibers. These nerve fibers innervate structures of the

lower jaw In jawed vertebrates, the mandible (from the Latin ''mandibula'', 'for chewing'), lower jaw, or jawbone is a bone that makes up the lowerand typically more mobilecomponent of the mouth (the upper jaw being known as the maxilla). The jawbone i ...

and face, such as the

tongue The tongue is a Muscle, muscular organ (anatomy), organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for chewing and swallowing as part of the digestive system, digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper s ...

lower lip The lips are a horizontal pair of soft appendages attached to the jaws and are the most visible part of the mouth of many animals, including humans. Mammal lips are soft, movable and serve to facilitate the ingestion of food (e.g. sucklin ...

, and

chin The chin is the forward pointed part of the anterior mandible (List_of_human_anatomical_regions#Regions, mental region) below the lower lip. A fully developed human skull has a chin of between 0.7 cm and 1.1 cm. Evolution The presence of a we ...

. The mandibular nerve also innervates the

muscles of mastication The four classical muscles of mastication elevate the mandible (closing the jaw) and move it forward/backward and laterally, facilitating biting and chewing. Other muscles are responsible for opening the jaw, namely the geniohyoid, mylohyoid, an ...

Structure

Course

The large sensory root of mandibular nerve emerges from the lateral part of the

trigeminal ganglion The trigeminal ganglion (also known as: Gasserian ganglion, semilunar ganglion, or Gasser's ganglion) is the sensory ganglion of each trigeminal nerve (CN V). The trigeminal ganglion is located within the trigeminal cave (Meckel's cave), a cav ...

and exits the

cranial cavity The cranial cavity, also known as intracranial space, is the space within the skull that accommodates the brain. The skull is also known as the cranium. The cranial cavity is formed by eight cranial bones known as the neurocranium that in human ...

through the foramen ovale. The motor root (Latin: ''radix motoria'' s. ''portio minor''), the small motor root of the

, passes under the trigeminal ganglion and through the foramen ovale to unite with the sensory root just outside the

skull The skull, or cranium, is typically a bony enclosure around the brain of a vertebrate. In some fish, and amphibians, the skull is of cartilage. The skull is at the head end of the vertebrate. In the human, the skull comprises two prominent ...

. The mandibular nerve immediately passes between

tensor veli palatini The tensor veli palatini muscle (tensor palati or tensor muscle of the velum palatinum) is a thin, triangular muscle of the head that tenses the soft palate and opens the Eustachian tube to equalise pressure in the middle ear. Structure The te ...

, which is medial, and lateral pterygoid, which is lateral, and gives off a meningeal branch (nervus spinosus) and the nerve to medial pterygoid from its medial side. The nerve then divides into a small anterior division and a large posterior division.

Branches

The mandibular nerve gives off the following branches: * From the main trunk (before the division): ** meningeal branch (nervus spinosus) (sensory) ** medial pterygoid nerve (motor) * From the anterior division: ** masseteric nerve (mixed) **

deep temporal nerves The deep temporal nerves are typically two nerves (one anterior and one posterior) which arise from the mandibular nerve (CN V3) and provide motor innervation to the temporalis muscle. Structure Origin They usually arise from (the anterior div ...

(mixed) ** buccal nerve (sensory) ** lateral pterygoid nerve (motor) * From the posterior division: **

auriculotemporal nerve The auriculotemporal nerve is a sensory branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3) that runs with the superficial temporal artery and vein, and provides sensory innervation to parts of the external ear, scalp, and temporomandibular joint. The nerve a ...

(sensory) **

lingual nerve The lingual nerve carries sensory innervation from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. It contains fibres from both the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (CN V) and from the facial nerve (CN VII). The fibres from the trigeminal nerve ...

(sensory) **

inferior alveolar nerve The inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) (also the inferior dental nerve) is a sensory branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3) (which is itself the third branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V)). The nerve provides sensory innervation to the lower/mandibu ...

(mixed) *** mylohyoid nerve (motor) *** incisive branch (sensory) *** mental nerve (sensory)

Distribution

Anterior Division (Motor Innervation -

Muscles of mastication The four classical muscles of mastication elevate the mandible (closing the jaw) and move it forward/backward and laterally, facilitating biting and chewing. Other muscles are responsible for opening the jaw, namely the geniohyoid, mylohyoid, an ...

) * Masseteric nerve **

Masseter muscle In anatomy, the masseter is one of the muscles of mastication. Found only in mammals, it is particularly powerful in herbivores to facilitate chewing of plant matter. The most obvious muscle of mastication is the masseter muscle, since it is the ...

* Medial pterygoid nerve ** Medial pterygoid muscle **

Tensor tympani muscle The tensor tympani is a muscle within the middle ear, located in the bony canal above the bony part of the auditory tube, and connects to the malleus bone. Its role is to dampen loud sounds, such as those produced from chewing, shouting, or thund ...

Tensor veli palatini The tensor veli palatini muscle (tensor palati or tensor muscle of the velum palatinum) is a thin, triangular muscle of the head that tenses the soft palate and opens the Eustachian tube to equalise pressure in the middle ear. Structure The te ...

(via

branch) * Lateral pterygoid nerve **

Lateral pterygoid muscle The lateral pterygoid muscle (or external pterygoid muscle) is a muscle of mastication. It has two heads. It lies superior to the medial pterygoid muscle. It is supplied by pterygoid branches of the maxillary artery, and the lateral pterygoid n ...

* Deep temporal nerve **

Temporalis muscle In anatomy, the temporalis muscle, also known as the temporal muscle, is one of the muscles of mastication (chewing). It is a broad, fan-shaped convergent muscle on each side of the head that fills the temporal fossa, superior to the zygomatic a ...

(Sensory Innervation) * Buccal nerve ** Inside of the cheek ( buccal mucosa) * Nervous spinosus (sensory)
Posterior Division Lingual Split
(general sensory innervation (''not'' special sensory for taste)) * Anterior 2/3 of

Tongue The tongue is a Muscle, muscular organ (anatomy), organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for chewing and swallowing as part of the digestive system, digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper s ...

(

mucous membrane A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It ...

) Inferior Alveolar Split
(Motor Innervation) * Mylohyoid * Digastric (Anterior Belly) (Sensory Innervation) *

Teeth A tooth (: teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tear ...

and Mucoperiosteum of mandibular teeth *

Chin The chin is the forward pointed part of the anterior mandible (List_of_human_anatomical_regions#Regions, mental region) below the lower lip. A fully developed human skull has a chin of between 0.7 cm and 1.1 cm. Evolution The presence of a we ...

and

Lower Lip The lips are a horizontal pair of soft appendages attached to the jaws and are the most visible part of the mouth of many animals, including humans. Mammal lips are soft, movable and serve to facilitate the ingestion of food (e.g. sucklin ...

Auriculotemporal Split *

Scalp The scalp is the area of the head where head hair grows. It is made up of skin, layers of connective and fibrous tissues, and the membrane of the skull. Anatomically, the scalp is part of the epicranium, a collection of structures covering th ...

( auricula / temporal region)

Additional images

File:Gray784.png, Dermatome distribution of the trigeminal nerve File:Gray790.png, The nerves of the scalp, face, and side of neck. File:Slide8nnn.JPG, Mandibular nerve File:Mandibular nerve 3.jpg, Mandibular nerve

References

External links

* * * () {{Authority control Trigeminal nerve Cranial nerves Otorhinolaryngology Nervous system Nerves of the head and neck Neurology