Submandibular gland

Changed by Yoshi Yu, 6 Apr 2023
Disclosures - updated 19 Oct 2022: Nothing to disclose

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

The submandibular glands (historically also known as the submaxillary glands) are paired salivary glands located behind and below the ramusone of the three paired major salivary glands, located inferior and posterior to the body of the mandible, in the submandibular (digastric) triangle. They secrete mixed serous and mucous saliva that is excreted into the oral cavity via the submandibular duct that connects the gland toopens at the floor of the mouth 5.

Gross anatomy

Its lower superficial lobe continues as a smaller deep lobe byThe submandibular gland is U-shaped, wrapping around the posterior border of the mylohyoid muscle 5. TheIt is divided into a superficial lobe(inferior) and deep (superior) part by the plane of the submandibular glandmylohyoid.

The superficial part is inlarger and lies horizontally, below the submandibular space, andmylohyoid muscle. It projects forward to lie on the deep lobesubmandibular fossa, a shallow groove on the internal surface of the mandible. It is situated in the submandibular space.

The deep part of the gland is smaller and loops around the posterior border of the mylohyoid to lie within the sublingual space where it can be palpated intraorally, lateral to the root of the tongue. Posteriorly it

The submandibular gland is separated from the parotid gland by the stylomandibular ligament.

ItThe gland is encapsulated during development and does not normally contain lymph nodes. There issurrounded by a fibrous capsule surrounding the gland, formed by the split layers of the investingsuperficial (investing) layer of the deep cervical fascia. It does not usually contain lymph nodes as it is encapsulated early during development.

The submandibular duct emerges from the deep part of the gland medially, before coursing forward to open at the papilla, lateral to the frenulum of the tongue.

Relations

The cervicalmarginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve and and facial vein are its is superficial relationsand inferior to the inferior surface of the superficial lobegland.

The facial artery grooves posterosuperiorly travels deep to the gland and descends toposterosuperiorly, before curving around the inferior border of the mandible, where it can be palpated, to travel superficially and anterior to ascend in front of the masseter muscle.

The deep part of the gland extends forwards and lies between the mylohyoid inferolaterally (floor of the mouth), and hyoglossus and styloglossus medially (root of the tongue). The hypoglossal nerve travels in between the gland and the hyoglossus.

Arterial Supply

The submandibular gland is supplied mainly by the facial, lingual, and submental artery,

Venous drainage

It drains into the facial and submental veins.

Innervation

Autonomic innervation is from the lingual nerve via the submandibular ganglion with parasympathetic fibres arising from the chorda tympani and sympathetic fibres from the superior cervical ganglion.

Variant anatomy

Related pathology

  • -<p>The <strong>submandibular glands</strong> (historically also known as the submaxillary glands) are paired <a href="/articles/salivary-glands">salivary glands</a> located behind and below the ramus of the mandible in the submandibular triangle. They secrete mixed serous and mucous saliva that is excreted into the <a href="/articles/oral-cavity-1">oral cavity</a> via the <a href="/articles/submandibular-duct">submandibular duct</a> that connects the gland to the <a href="/articles/floor-of-mouth">floor of mouth</a> <sup>5</sup>.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>Its lower superficial lobe continues as a smaller deep lobe by wrapping around the posterior border of the <a href="/articles/mylohyoid-muscle">mylohyoid</a><sup> 5</sup>. The superficial lobe of the submandibular gland is in the <a href="/articles/submandibular-space">submandibular space</a>, and the deep lobe is situated in the <a href="/articles/sublingual-space-1">sublingual space</a> where it can be palpated intraorally. Posteriorly it is separated from the <a href="/articles/parotid-gland">parotid gland</a> by the <a href="/articles/stylomandibular-ligament">stylomandibular ligament</a>.</p><p>It is encapsulated during development and does not normally contain lymph nodes. There is a fibrous capsule surrounding the gland, formed by the split layers of the investing layer of the <a href="/articles/deep-cervical-fascia">deep cervical fascia</a>.</p><h5>Relations</h5><p>The cervical branch of the <a href="/articles/facial-nerve">facial nerve</a> and facial vein are its superficial relations to the inferior surface of the superficial lobe. The <a href="/articles/facial-artery">facial artery</a> grooves posterosuperiorly to the gland and descends to the inferior border of the mandible, where it can be palpated, and to ascend in front of the masseter muscle.</p><p>The deep part of the gland extends forwards and lies between <a href="/articles/mylohyoid-muscle">mylohyoid</a> inferolaterally, and <a href="/articles/hyoglossus-muscle">hyoglossus</a> and <a href="/articles/styloglossus-muscle">styloglossus</a> medially.</p><h4>Arterial Supply</h4><p>The submandibular gland is supplied mainly by the <a href="/articles/facial-artery">facial</a>, <a href="/articles/lingual-artery">lingual</a>, and <a href="/articles/submental-artery">submental artery</a>,</p><h4>Venous drainage</h4><p>It drains into the <a href="/articles/facial-vein">facial</a> and submental veins.</p><h4>Innervation</h4><p><a href="/articles/autonomic-nervous-system">Autonomic</a> innervation is from the <a href="/articles/lingual-nerve">lingual nerve</a> via the <a href="/articles/submandibular-ganglion">submandibular ganglion</a> with <a href="/articles/parasympathetic-nervous-system">parasympathetic</a> fibres arising from the <a href="/articles/chorda-tympani">chorda tympani </a>and sympathetic fibres from the <a href="/articles/superior-cervical-ganglion">superior cervical ganglion</a>.</p><h4>Variant anatomy</h4><ul><li><p><a href="/articles/submandibular-gland-agenesis" title="Agenesis of submandibular gland ">congenital absence</a> +/- contralateral submandibular gland hypertrophy <sup>4</sup></p></li></ul><h4>Related pathology</h4><ul>
  • +<p>The <strong>submandibular glands</strong> (historically also known as the <strong>submaxillary glands</strong>) are one of the three paired <a href="/articles/salivary-glands" title="Salivary gland">major salivary glands</a>, located inferior and posterior to the body of the <a href="/articles/mandible" title="Mandible">mandible</a>, in the <a href="/articles/submandibular-triangle" title="Submandibular triangle">submandibular (digastric) triangle</a>. They secrete mixed serous and mucous saliva into the <a href="/articles/oral-cavity-1">oral cavity</a> via the <a href="/articles/submandibular-duct">submandibular duct</a> that opens at the <a href="/articles/floor-of-mouth">floor of the mouth</a> <sup>5</sup>.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The submandibular gland is U-shaped, wrapping around the posterior border of the <a href="/articles/mylohyoid-muscle" title="Mylohyoid muscle">mylohyoid muscle</a>. It is divided into a superficial (inferior) and deep (superior) part by the plane of the mylohyoid.</p><p>The superficial part is larger and lies horizontally, below the mylohyoid muscle. It projects forward to lie on the submandibular fossa, a shallow groove on the internal surface of the mandible. It is situated in the <a href="/articles/submandibular-space" title="Submandibular space">submandibular space.</a></p><p>The deep part of the gland is smaller and loops around the posterior border of the mylohyoid to lie within the <a href="/articles/sublingual-space-1" title="Sublingual space">sublingual space</a>, lateral to the root of the <a href="/articles/tongue" title="Tongue">tongue</a>.</p><p>The submandibular gland is separated from the <a href="/articles/parotid-gland">parotid gland</a> by the <a href="/articles/stylomandibular-ligament">stylomandibular ligament</a>.</p><p>The gland is surrounded by a fibrous capsule, formed by the split layers of the superficial (investing) layer of the <a href="/articles/deep-cervical-fascia">deep cervical fascia</a>. It does not usually contain lymph nodes as it is encapsulated early during development.</p><p>The <a href="/articles/submandibular-duct" title="Submandibular duct">submandibular duct </a>emerges from the deep part of the gland medially, before coursing forward to open at the papilla, lateral to the frenulum of the tongue.</p><h5>Relations</h5><p>The marginal mandibular branch of the <a href="/articles/facial-nerve" title="Facial nerve">facial nerve</a> and <a href="/articles/facial-vein" title="Facial vein">facial vein</a> is superficial and inferior to the gland.</p><p>The <a href="/articles/facial-artery" title="Facial artery">facial artery</a> travels deep to the gland posterosuperiorly, before curving around the inferior border of the mandible to travel superficially and anterior to the masseter muscle.</p><p>The deep part of the gland extends forwards and lies between the <a href="/articles/mylohyoid-muscle">mylohyoid</a> inferolaterally (floor of the mouth), and <a href="/articles/hyoglossus-muscle">hyoglossus</a> and <a href="/articles/styloglossus-muscle">styloglossus</a> medially (root of the tongue). The <a href="/articles/hypoglossal-nerve-1" title="Hypoglossal nerve">hypoglossal nerve </a>travels in between the gland and the hyoglossus.</p><h4>Arterial Supply</h4><p>The submandibular gland is supplied mainly by the <a href="/articles/facial-artery">facial</a>, <a href="/articles/lingual-artery">lingual</a>, and <a href="/articles/submental-artery">submental artery</a>,</p><h4>Venous drainage</h4><p>It drains into the <a href="/articles/facial-vein">facial</a> and submental veins.</p><h4>Innervation</h4><p><a href="/articles/autonomic-nervous-system">Autonomic</a> innervation is from the <a href="/articles/lingual-nerve">lingual nerve</a> via the <a href="/articles/submandibular-ganglion">submandibular ganglion</a> with <a href="/articles/parasympathetic-nervous-system">parasympathetic</a> fibres arising from the <a href="/articles/chorda-tympani">chorda tympani </a>and sympathetic fibres from the <a href="/articles/superior-cervical-ganglion">superior cervical ganglion</a>.</p><h4>Variant anatomy</h4><ul><li><p><a href="/articles/submandibular-gland-agenesis" title="Agenesis of submandibular gland ">congenital absence</a> +/- contralateral submandibular gland hypertrophy <sup>4</sup></p></li></ul><h4>Related pathology</h4><ul>

References changed:

  • 6. Richard Drake, A. Wayne Vogl, Adam W. M. Mitchell. Gray's Anatomy for Students E-Book. (2019) ISBN: 9780323611053 - <a href="http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN9780323611053">Google Books</a>

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