264 THE NERVES OF THE TEETH. 



the seventh. The infra orbital nerve, just before emerging., 

 sends down in the anterior dental canal , in front of the 

 antrum, the anterior dental nerve, which gives off filaments 

 to supply the incisors, canines, and bicuspids of the upper 

 jaw, as well as the lining membrane of the antrum. These 

 accompany the arterial twigs and enter the apex of the 

 roots in a similar manner. An anastomosis occurs between 

 the anterior and posterior dental nerves. The posterior 

 dental nerves come off from the superior maxillary in the 

 pterygo maxillary fossa; they consist of two or three 

 branches, which enter the posterior dental canals upon the 

 tuberosity of the superior maxillary bone, and supply the 

 molares, the contiguous gums, and buccinator muscle. 



The superior maxillary nerve is connected with the 

 ganglion of Meckel, called also spheno-palatine, from which 

 three sets of branches are found to proceed the one pass- 

 ing downwards, the inferior, the second going backwards, 

 the posteriory while the third proceeds inwards, and is the 

 internal set. 



The ganglion of Meckel is situated in the ptery go-maxil- 

 lary fossa between the pterygoid processes and the tuber- 

 osity of the superior maxilla, surrounded by adipose mat- 

 ter and branches of the internal maxillary artery. The 

 first set of branches, the inferior, proceeding from this 

 ganglion, descend the posterior palatine canal. They are 

 four or five in number and receive the name of the palatine 

 nerves. As they approach the palate they divide into an 

 anterior, posterior, and middle set of filaments; the ante- 

 rior proceeds forwards above the mucous membrane in a 

 groove on the inside of the alveoli, supplying these parts, 

 while the posterior and middle are distributed to the soft- 

 palate, tonsils, and uvula. 



nerve ; 19 Terminating branches of infra orbital ; 20 Orbitar branch upon 

 the malar bone ; 21 Pterygoid branches from Meckel's ganglion ; 22 Ante- 

 rior branches of the inferior maxillary, or third division of the fifth ; 23 

 Lingual or gustatory branch of the inferior maxillary, joined by the chorda 

 tympani ; 24 Inferior dental nerve, and branches supplying the teeth ; 25 

 Mental branches ; 26 Superficial temporal nerve ; 27 Auricular branches ; 

 28 Mylo-hyoid branch. 



