BRAN CHES OF THE EXTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY. 767 
After entering the foramen it descends in the mandibular canal, and terminates at the 
mental foramen by dividing into mental and incisive branches. 
Branches.— Before it enters the mandibular foramen it gives off two branches. 
i.) The lingual, a small twig to the buccal mucous membrane which accompanies the lingual 
nerve. (i.) The mylo-hyoid (ramus mylohoideus), a small branch which is given off immediately 
above the mandibular foramen. It pierces the spheno-mandibular ligament, and descends in the 
 mylo-hyoid groove, in company with the mylo-hyoid nerve, to the floor of the mouth, where it 
anastomoses, on the superficial surface of the mylo-hyoid muscle, with the submental branch of 
the facial artery. 
In the mandibular canal the fol ing branches are given off :— 
(.) Molar branches to the molar teeth. (u.) Bicuspid ‘branches to the bicuspid teeth. (iii.) The 
incisive terminal branch, which supplies the incisor teeth and anastomoses with its fellow of the 
opposite side. (iv.) The mental terminal branch (a. mentalis), which passes through the mental 
foramen, emerges beneath the depressor labii inferioris, and anastomoses with its fellow of the 
opposite side, with the-inferior coronary, the inferior labial, and with the submental arteries. 
From the second part.—(a) The masseteric (a. masseterica), a small branch which 
passes directly outwards, through the sigmoid notch, to the deep surface of the masseter 
muscle. It anastomoses in the substance of the muscle with branches of the transverse 
facial and with the masseteric branches of the facial artery. 
(4) Deep Temporal.—Two in number, anterior (a. temporalis profunda anterior) 
and posterior (a. temporalis profunda posterior). They ascend between the temporal 
muscle and the squamous portion of the temporal bone, supplying the muscle and 
anastomosing with the temporal and lachrymal arteries, and, through the substance of 
the temporal bone, with the middle meningeal artery. 
(c) Small pterygoid branches (rami pterygoidei) supply the internal and external 
pterygoid muscles. 
(d) The buccal (a. buccinatoria), a long slender branch which passes obliquely forwards 
and downwards with the long buccal nerve. It supplies the buccinator muscle, the skin 
and mucous membrane of the cheek, and anastomoses with the buccal branch of the 
facial artery. 
From the third part.—(a) A posterior superior dental branch (a. alveolaris superior 
posterior) descends in the zygomatic fossa, on the posterior surface of the superior 
maxilla, and ends in branches which supply the molar and bicuspid teeth and the mucous 
membrane of the antrum, they also give twigs to the gums and to the buccinator muscle. 
(4) An infraorbital branch (a. infraorbitalis) commences in the spheno-maxillary fossa. 
It enters the orbit through the spheno-maxillary fissure, and runs forwards in the infra- 
orbital groove and canal to the infraorbital foramen, through which it passes to emerge on 
the face beneath the levator labii superioris. Whilst in the infraorbital groove it gives 
branches to the inferior rectus, the inferior oblique and the lachrymal gland. In the infra- 
orbital canal it gives small twigs to the incisor and canine teeth (aa. alveolares superiores 
anteriores) and to the antrum. In the face it sends branches upwards to the lower 
eyelid, to the lachrymal sac, and to the nasal process of the superior maxilla, which 
anastomose with branches of the ophthalmic and facial arteries; other branches run 
downwards to the upper lip, where they anastomose with the superior coronary artery ; 
lastly, some branches run outwards into the cheek to unite with the transverse facial and 
the buccal arteries. 
(c) The posterior or descending palatine (a. palatina descendens) runs downwards 
through the spheno-maxillary fossa, passes through the posterior palatine canal and reaches 
the mucous membrane of the roof of the mouth, where it runs forwards, internal to the 
alveolar process, to terminate in a small branch which ascends through the anterior 
palatine fossa and Stenson’s canal, and anastomoses with the spheno-palatine branch of 
the internal maxillary artery. As it descends it gives off several small twigs which pass 
through the accessory palatine canals to supply the soft palate and to anastomose with 
the ascending palatine and tonsillar branches of the facial and with the ascending 
pharyngeal artery. In its course forwards in the roof of the mouth it supplies the gums 
and the mucous membrane of the hard palate, and also the palate and superior maxillary 
bones. ‘ 
(dq) The Vidian (a. canalis pterygoidei) is a long slender branch which runs back- 
wards through the Vidian canal with the Vidian nerve. It supplies branches to the 
upper part of the pharynx, to the levator and tensor palati muscles, and to the Eustachian 
tube. One of the latter branches passes along the wall of the Eustachian tube to the 
tympanic cavity, where it anastomoses with the other tympanic arteries. 
(ec) The pterygo-palatine is a small artery which runs backwards, with the pharyngeal 
branch of Meckel’s ganglion, to the roof of the pharynx. It supplies the upper and back 
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