604 THE VASCULAR SYSTEMS 



The inferior dental branch (a. alveolar is inferior} descends with the inferior dental 

 nerve to the foramen on the inner, side of the ramus of the mandible. It runs 

 along the dental canal in the substance of the bone, accompanied by the nerve, 

 and opposite the first bicuspid tooth divides into two branches, the incisor and 

 mental; the incisor branch is continued forward beneath the incisor teeth as far as 

 the symphysis, where it anastomoses with the artery of the opposite side; the 

 mental branch (a. mentalis) escapes with the nerve at the mental foramen, supplies 

 the structures composing the chin, and anastomoses with the submental, inferior 

 labial, and inferior coronary arteries. Near its origin the inferior dental artery gives 

 off a lingual branch, which descends with the lingual nerve and supplies the mucous 

 membrane of the mouth. As the inferior dental artery enters the foramen it gives 

 off a mylohyoid branch (ramus mylohyoideus), which runs in the mylohyoid groove, 

 and ramifies on the under surface of the Mylohyoid muscle. The inferior dental 

 artery and its incisor branches during their course through the substance of the 

 bone give off a few twigs which are lost in the cancellous tissue, and a series of 

 branches which correspond in number to the roots of the teeth; these enter the 

 minute apertures at the extremities of the fangs and supply the pulp of the teeth. 



Branches of the pterygoid portion (Fig. 445): 



Deep temporal. Masseteric. 



Pterygoid. Buccal. 



These branches are distributed, as their names imply, to the muscles in the 

 maxillary region. 



The deep temporal branches, two in number, anterior (a. temporalis profunda 

 anterior) and posterior (a. temporalis profunda posterior}, each occupy that part 

 of the temporal fossa indicated by its name. Ascending between the Temporal 

 muscle and pericranium, they supply the muscle and anastomose with the middle 

 temporal artery. The anterior branch communicates with the lacrimal artery 

 by means of small branches which perforate the malar bone and greater wing of 

 the sphenoid. 



The pterygoid branches (rami pterygoidei), irregular in their number and origin, 

 supply the Pterygoid muscles. 



The masseteric (a. massetericd] is a small branch which passes outward, above 

 the sigmoid notch of the mandible, to the deep surface of the Masseter muscle. 

 It supplies that muscle, and anastomoses with the masseteric branches of the facial 

 and with the transverse facial artery. 



The buccal (a. buccinatoria) is a small branch which runs obliquely forward 

 between the Internal pterygoid and the ramus of the mandible, to the outer surface 

 of the Buccinator, to which it is distributed, anastomosing with branches of the 

 facial artery. 



Branches of the sphenomaxillary portion (Fig. 445) : 



Alveolar or Posterior dental. Vidian. 



Infraorbital. Pterygopalatine. 



Descending palatine. Naso- or sphenopalatine. 



The alveolar or posterior dental branch (a. alveolaris superior posterior} is given 

 off from the internal maxillary in conjunction with the infraorbital, and just as 

 the trunk of the vessel is passing into the sphenomaxillary fossa. Descending 

 upon the tuberosity of the maxilla, it divides into numerous branches, some of which 

 enter the posterior dental canals, to supply the upper molar and bicuspid teeth 

 and the lining of the antrum, while others are continued forward on the alveolar 

 process to supply the gums. 



