THE SEVENTH OR FACIAL NERVE 1001 



mastoid branch of the great auricular and with the small occipital. As it ascends 

 between the external auditory meatus and the mastoid process it divides into two 

 branches, the auricular and the occipital branches. The auricular branch sup- 

 plies the Retrahens aurem and the small -muscles on the cranial surface of 

 the pinna. The occipital branch (ramus occipitalis), the larger, passes backward 

 along the superior curved line of the occipital bone, and supplies the occipital 

 portion of the Occipitofrontalis. 



The Digastric Branch of the Facial Nerve (ramus digastricus) arises close to the 

 stylomastoid foramen; it divides into several filaments, which supply the posterior 

 belly of the Digastric; one of these perforates that muscle to join the glossopharyn- 

 geal nerve (ramus anastomoticus cum n. glossopharyngeo). 



The Stylohyoid Branch (ramus stylohyoideus) frequently arises by a common 

 trunk with the digastric; it is long and slender, and passes inward to enter the 

 Stylohyoid muscle about its middle. 



The Temporofacial Division (Figs. 740 and 741), the larger of the two terminal 

 branches of the facial, passes upward and forward through the parotid gland, 

 crosses the external carotid artery and temporomaxillary vein, and passes over 

 the neck of the condyle of the mandible, being connected in this situation with 

 the auriculotemporal branch of the inferior maxillary nerve. It breaks up into 

 branches which are distributed over the temple and upper part of the face; these 

 are divided into three sets temporal, malar, and infraorbital. 



The temporal branches (rami temporales) cross the zygoma to the temporal 

 region, supplying the Attrahens and Attollens aurem muscles, and join with 

 the temporal branch of the temporomalar division of the superior maxillary 

 nerve, and with the auriculotemporal branch of the inferior maxillary nerve. 

 The more anterior branches supply the frontal portion of the Occipitofrontalis, 

 the Orbicularis palpebrarum, and Corrugator supercilii muscles, and join with 

 the supraorbital and lacrimal branches of the ophthalmic. 



The malar branches (rami zygomatici) pass across the malar bone to the outer 

 angle of the orbit, where they supply the Orbicularis palpebrarum muscle and join 

 with filaments from the lacrimal nerve and the malar branch (subcutaneus malae) 

 of the superior maxillary nerve. 



The infraorbital branches (rami buccales), of larger size than the rest, pass 

 horizontally forward to be distributed between the lower margin of the orbit and 

 the mouth. The superficial branches run beneath the skin and above the superficial 

 muscles of the face, which they supply; some branches are distributed to the 

 Pyramidalis nasi, joining at the inner angle of the orbit with the infratrochlear 

 and nasal branches of the ophthalmic. The deep branches pass beneath the 

 Zygomatici and the Levator labii superioris, supplying the Levator anguli oris, 

 the Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi, and the small muscles of the nose, and 

 form a plexus, infraorbital plexus, by joining with the branches of the infraorbital 

 branch of the superior maxillary nerve and the buccal branches of the cervico- 

 facial. 



The Cervicofacial Division of the facial nerve passes obliquely downward and 

 forward through the parotid gland, crossing the external carotid artery. In 

 this situation it is joined by branches from the great auricular nerve. Opposite 

 the angle of the mandible it divides into branches which are distributed on the 

 lower half of the face and upper part of the neck. These may be divided into 

 three sets buccal, mandibular, and cervical. 



The buccal branches (rami buccales) cross the Masseter muscle. They supply 

 the Buccinator and Orbicularis oris, and join with the infraorbital branches of 

 the temporofacial division of the nerve, and with filaments of the buccal branch 

 of the inferior maxillary nerve. 



The mandibular branch (ramus marginalis mandibulae} passes forward beneath 



