150 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY. 



forward, it lies in the infra-orbital groove, then in the 

 infra-orbital canal, through which it passes, to emerge upon 

 the face at the infra-orbital foramen and supply the mid 

 region of the face with sensory branches. 

 Branches of the Superior Maxillary Nerve. 



(1) Within the skull, one or two recurrent filaments 

 supplying the dura. 



(2) In the sphenomaxillary fossa. (a) The orbital or 

 temporomalar nerve. Enters the orbit through the 

 sphenomaxillary fissure, and divides into the temporal 

 and malar branch. The temporal branch passes through 

 the temporal foramen in the malar bone, enters the 

 temporal fossa, passes through it to pierce the temporal 

 fascia above the zygoma and be distributed to the integu- 

 ment of the anterior part of the temporal region. The 

 malar branch passes through the malar foramen of the 

 malar bone to supply the integument over that bone, (b) 

 The posterior superior dental nerve divides into two 

 branches, which descend along the posterior surface of the 

 superior maxillary bone, enter the posterior dental foramina, 

 and supply the molar teeth and mucous membrane adjacent 

 to them, (c) The middle superior dental nerve is given off 

 the superior maxillary in the posterior part of the infra- 

 orbital canal, runs downward and forward in a special canal 

 on the outer wall of the antrum to supply the bicuspid 

 teeth, (d) The anterior superior dental nerve is given off 

 at the anterior part of the infra-orbital canal, and descends 

 in a canal on the anterior wall of the antrum to supply the 

 incisive and the canine teeth and gives off the nasal branch 

 to the mucous membrane of the floor and wall of the 

 anterior part of the inferior meatus. The three dental 

 nerves have loops of communication with each other, thus 

 forming the superior dental plexus. (e) The terminal 



