FACIAL 487 



over the curved upper margin of the superior constrictor to the goft palate, wliere 

 it is (listril)Uted to tlie tissues constituting that structure, and anastomoses with its 

 fellow of the op})Osite side and with the descending palatine branch of the internal 

 maxillary, and the ascending jtharyngeal, Avhich vessel often to a great extent 

 sup])lies the place of this artery. The other branch, the tonsillar, su})plies the 

 tonsil and the Eustachian tube, anastomosing with the tonsillar branch of the facial 

 and ascending pharyngeal arteries. The ascending pjalatine arter}' supplies the 

 muscles between which it nms on its way to the palate. 



(2) The tonsillar branch (fig. 334) ascends between the stylo-glossus and 

 internal pterygoid muscles to the level of the tonsil, where it perforates the superior 

 constrictor muscle of the pharynx, and ends in the tonsil, anastomosing with the 

 tonsillar branch of the ascending palatine and with the other tonsillar arteries (fig. 

 833). It gives liranches also to the root of the tongue. 



(3) The glandular or submaxillary branches are distributed to the submax- 

 illary gland as the artery is passing through or beneath that structure. A small 

 twig from one of these branches usually supplies Wharton's duct. 



(4) The muscular branches are small twigs given off irregularly to the con- 

 tiguous muscles, viz. the posterior belly of the digastric, the stylo-hyoid, the stylo- 

 glossus, and the mylo-hyoid muscles. 



(5) The submental branch (fig. 334) comes ofT from the facial as the latter 

 vessel lies under cover of the submaxillary gland, and, passing forwards on the 

 mylo-hyoid muscle l>etween the base of the jaw and the anterior belly of the digas- 

 tricus, supplies these structures and the overlying platysma and integuments. It 

 gives off the following small branches: — (a) muscular, to the muscles between 

 which it runs; (b) perforating, whicli passes through the mylo-hyoid to anasto- 

 mose with the sublingual; (c) cutaneous, to the integuments covering it; ((/) 

 mental, which turns over the border of the lower jaw near the symphysis, and, 

 after supplying a branch to the depressor labii inferioris, the levator menti, and the 

 other adjacent soft tissues forming the chin and lip, anastomoses with the mental 

 branch of the inferior dental, the inferior labial, and the artery of the opposite side. 



Branches of the Facial Artery on the Face 



From the outer or concave side of the artery are given off: — (1) masseteric 

 branches which ascend over the masseter to anastomose with the masseteric branch 

 of the internal maxillary artery and the transverse facial artery; and (2) buccal, 

 which pass upwards over the buccinator and anastomose with the buccal branch of 

 the internal maxillary, the transverse facial, and the infraorbital arteries. 



From the inner or convex side the following larger and named vessels are given 

 off: — (1) The inferior labial; (2) the inferior coronary; (3) the superior coronary; 

 (4j the lateralis na.si; and (5) the angular. 



(1) The inferior labial artery arises either separately from the facial artery, or 

 in common with the next branch — the inferior coronary. It courses forwards 

 beneath the depressor anguli oris, and over the depressor labii inferioris, and, after 

 supplying the contiguous muscles and integuments, anastomoses below Avith the 

 submental, above with the inferior coronary, and between the two with the mental 

 branch of the inferior dental which escapes from the mental foramen. 



(2) The inferior coronary artery arising from the facial a little above the 

 inferior lal)ial, or in connnon with it, passes forwards beneath the depressor anguli 

 oris towards the angle of the mouth, thence skirts along the lower lip, between 

 the mucous membrane and orbicularis oris, about a quarter to half an inch from 

 the junction of the skin and mucous membrane, and anastomoses with its fellow 

 of the opposite side. It can readily be felt beating during life by pressing the lip 

 between finger and thumb. It giv-^s off descending branches which anastomose 

 with the inferior labial and the mental branch of the inferior dental (or mandi- 

 bular) artery. 



(3) The superior coronary artery, arising from the facial a little higher than 

 the inferior coronary, passes forwards beneath the zygomaticus major, and then, 

 like the inferior coronary, courses tortuously along the lower margin of the upper 

 lip between the orbicularis oris and the mucous membrane about half an inch 



