THE BRANCHES OF THE ARCH OF THE AORTA 255 



posterior and anterior meningeal. Branches pass to the Gas- 

 serian ganglion and dura mater; through the sphenoidal fissure 

 to the orbit; and through the hiatus Fallopii a petrosal branch 

 passes to join a branch of the stylomastoid artery. 



(c) The small meningeal enters the foramen ovale, sometimes 

 arising from the preceding. 



(d) The inferior dental traverses the dental canal, escaping 

 at the mental foramen. It sends forward an incisor branch in 

 the bone, gives off to the groove a mylohyoid branch, and unites 

 with its fellow and with the submental and labial arteries. 

 It supplies the teeth by small twigs to the roots from below. 



(e) The two deep tem-poral anterior and posterior, join other 

 temporal branches. The anterior sends twigs through the 

 malar bone to unite with the lacrymal. 



(/) The pterygoid branches supply the muscles of that name. 



(g) The masseteric crosses the sigmoid notch to the deep 

 surface of the muscle. 



(fi) The buccal, on the buccinator, joins branches of the facial. 



(i) The alveolar sends branches through the posterior dental 

 canals to the molar and bicuspid teeth, the antrum and gums. 



(j) The infraorbital arises with the preceding, traverses the 

 canal, supplying the orbital muscular branches and an anterior 

 dental, and, escaping at the infraorbital foramen, supplies the 

 lacrymal sac, sending branches all over the face. It joins 

 branches of the facial and ophthalmic arteries. 



(k) The descending palatine enters the posterior palatine 

 canal, and runs along the hard palate to the anterior palatine 

 foramen, thence through Stenson's foramen to join the naso- 

 palatine artery. It sends branches through the accessory pala- 

 tine canals to the soft palate. 



(/) The Vidian passes through its canal to the pharynx and 

 Eustachian tube, and gives a branch to the tympanum. 



(m) The pterygopalatine, through its canal to the sphenoidal 

 sinus and pharynx. 



(n) The nasal, or spheno palatine, through that foramen to 

 the spongy bones, ethmoidal cells, and antrum. One large 

 branch, the artery of the septum or nasopalatine, unites with 

 the termination of the descending palatine artery. 



The internal carotid artery is a very tortuous vessel, and at 

 its origin is farther from the median line than the external 

 carotid, deriving the name "internal" from its distribution. 



