Infraorbital foramen
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Mudgal P, Worsley C, Dixon A, et al. Infraorbital foramen. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 14 Jan 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-28252
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rID:
28252
Article created:
17 Mar 2014,
Prashant Mudgal
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Prashant Mudgal had no recorded disclosures.
View Prashant Mudgal's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Calum Worsley had no recorded disclosures.
View Calum Worsley's current disclosures
Revisions:
10 times, by
8 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Infra-orbital foramen
The infraorbital foramen is located in the maxillary bone. It is the anterior opening of the infraorbital canal, which is the anterior continuation of the infraorbital groove, which course through the floor of the orbit. The canal may reside entirely in the maxillary sinus, suspended from the sinus roof by a mesentery.
The foramen's facial surface is superior to the canine fossa and inferior to the lower margin of the orbit. It transmits the infraorbital nerve (a branch of the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve (CN Vb) and infraorbital artery and vein.
Within the infraorbital groove, the infraorbital nerve gives off sensory branches to the maxillary sinus and upper teeth:
Related pathology
Fractures through the orbital floor may disrupt the infraorbital foramen and cause paresthesia in the distribution of the infraorbital nerve.
References
- 1. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice, 41st edition. Elsevier, 2016. ISBN: 9780702052309
- 2. Last's anatomy, regional and applied. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:044304662X. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically oriented anatomy. LWW. ISBN:1451119453. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 4. Robert H. Whitaker, Neil R. Borley. Instant Anatomy. ISBN: 9780632054039
- 5. Ercikti N, Apaydin N, Kirici Y. Location of the infraorbital foramen with reference to soft tissue landmarks. (2017) Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA. 39 (1): 11-15. doi:10.1007/s00276-016-1683-0 - Pubmed
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