Inferior alveolar nerve
Updates to Article Attributes
heThe inferior alveolar nerve or inferior dental nerve is a mixed sensory and motor branch of the posterior division of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve in the pterogomandibular space of the oral cavity.
Gross anatomy
The inferior alveolar nervedivides off the posterior division and descends posterior to the lingual nerve, deep to
lateral pterygoid muscle and lateral to the pterygomandibular raphe, between the sphenomandibular ligament and the
ramus of the mandible. It enters the mandibular foramen anterior to the inferior alveolar artery and vein. Just before entering the mandible, it gives of a motor branch, the nerve to myelohyoidmylohyoid. In the mandibular canal, the nerve gives off small twigs to the mandibular molar and premolar teeth. It then terminates in the mandibular canal by dividing into two branches:
Variant anatomy
Some authors document the mental nerve carrying parasympathetic fibres from the otic ganglion to the labial glands of the lower lip.
-<p>he <strong>inferior alveolar nerve </strong>or<strong> inferior dental nerve</strong> is a mixed sensory and motor branch of the <a title="Posterior division of the mandibular nerve" href="/articles/posterior-division-of-the-mandibular-nerve">posterior division of the mandibular division</a> of the <a href="/articles/trigeminal-nerve">trigeminal nerve</a> in the pterogomandibular space of the <a href="/articles/oral-cavity-1">oral cavity</a>.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The inferior alveolar nerve<strong> </strong>divides off the posterior division and descends posterior to the <a href="/articles/lingual-nerve">lingual nerve</a>, deep to <a href="/articles/lateral-pterygoid-muscle">lateral pterygoid muscle</a> and lateral to the pterygomandibular raphe, between the <a href="/articles/sphenomandibular-ligament">sphenomandibular ligament</a> and the ramus of the <a href="/articles/mandible">mandible</a>. It enters the <a href="/articles/mandibular-foramen-1">mandibular foramen</a> anterior to the <a href="/articles/inferior-alveolar-artery">inferior alveolar artery</a> and vein. Just before entering the mandible, it gives of a motor branch, the <a href="/articles/nerve-to-myelohyoid">nerve to myelohyoid</a>. In the <a href="/articles/mandibular-canal-1">mandibular canal</a>, the nerve gives off small twigs to the mandibular molar and premolar <a href="/articles/teeth">teeth</a>. It then terminates in the mandibular canal by dividing into two branches:</p><ul>- +<p>The <strong>inferior alveolar nerve </strong>or<strong> inferior dental nerve</strong> is a mixed sensory and motor branch of the <a href="/articles/posterior-division-of-the-mandibular-nerve">posterior division of the mandibular division</a> of the <a href="/articles/trigeminal-nerve">trigeminal nerve</a> in the pterogomandibular space of the <a href="/articles/oral-cavity-1">oral cavity</a>.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The inferior alveolar nerve<strong> </strong>divides off the posterior division and descends posterior to the <a href="/articles/lingual-nerve">lingual nerve</a>, deep to <a href="/articles/lateral-pterygoid-muscle">lateral pterygoid muscle</a> and lateral to the pterygomandibular raphe, between the <a href="/articles/sphenomandibular-ligament">sphenomandibular ligament</a> and the ramus of the <a href="/articles/mandible">mandible</a>. It enters the <a href="/articles/mandibular-foramen-1">mandibular foramen</a> anterior to the <a href="/articles/inferior-alveolar-artery">inferior alveolar artery</a> and vein. Just before entering the mandible, it gives of a motor branch, the <a href="/articles/nerve-to-mylohyoid">nerve to mylohyoid</a>. In the <a href="/articles/mandibular-canal-1">mandibular canal</a>, the nerve gives off small twigs to the mandibular molar and premolar <a href="/articles/teeth">teeth</a>. It then terminates in the mandibular canal by dividing into two branches:</p><ul>
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