The maxillary artery is a branch of the external carotid artery and supplies many structures on the face. The maxillary artery arises posterior to the mandibular neck, traverses the parotid gland, and passes forward between the sphenomandibular ligament and ramus of the mandible. It then runs a superficial course lateral to the lateral pterygoid muscle. The maxillary artery supplies deep structures of the face including the mandible, pterygoid, infratemporal fossa and segments of the pterygopalatine fossa.
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| Maxillary artery |
The internal maxillary artery, simply known as the maxillary artery, is a terminal branch of the external carotid artery (ECA); which itself is a branch of the bilateral common carotid arteries at the C4 vertebral level where the common carotids bifurcate into the internal and external carotids. The external carotid supplies blood to structures in the superficial face, and superior superficial cranial structures. The branches of the external carotid artery include the superior thyroid artery, ascending pharyngeal artery, lingual artery, facial artery, occipital artery, posterior auricular artery, and the two terminal branches are the maxillary artery and superficial temporalis artery.
More details: 📖 Ross and Wilson Pocket Reference Guide to Anatomy and Physiology
The maxillary artery provides many branches which supply structures within the face and cranium. Because of its many branches, the maxillary artery divides into three segments relative to the lateral pterygoid muscle.
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| Branches of the maxillary artery |
The mandibular or first division runs down to the mandible and runs along the apices of the teeth. It also ascends to the meninges, which is a protective membrane that encircles the brain and spinal cord. The first division of the maxillary artery is also considered to be posterior the lateral pterygoid muscle. The pterygoid division or second division runs lateral to the lateral pterygoid for the most part and supplies the surrounding structures. The first two divisions are considered to be within the infratemporal fossa. The pterygopalatine or third division consists of all the terminal branches and runs anterior to the lateral pterygoid muscle. The third division is within the pterygopalatine fossa. The maxillary artery originates within the parotid gland and travels anteriorly toward where it is between the neck of the mandible and sphenomandibular ligament at which point the artery is now in the infratemporal fossa and usually lateral to the lateral pterygoid muscle. From here, the artery travels obliquely to the pterygopalatine fossa through the pterygomaxillary fissure.
Mandibular (1 part) of the maxillary artery:
- Deep auricular artery: enters the squamotympanic fissure
- Anterior tympanic artery: enters the squamotympanic fissure
- Middle meningeal artery: courses between the tensor veli palatine muscle and lateral pterygoid muscle to enter the foramen spinosum into the middle cranial cavity
- Contains an anterior branch which travels vertex and crosses the pterion. Contains a posterior branch which travels posterior and superior to reach the middle cranial fossa
- Accessory meningeal artery: enters the foramen ovale
- Inferior alveolar artery: enters the mandibular foramen
- Gives rise to the mylohyoid artery (branch of the inferior alveolar artery before it enters the mandible)
- Mental artery (terminal branch of the inferior alveolar artery)
Pterygoid (2 part) of the maxillary artery:
- Anterior, middle and posterior deep temporal arteries
- Buccal artery
- Masseteric artery
- Pterygoid branches
Pterygopalatine (3 part) of the maxillary artery:
- Pharyngeal artery: enters the palatovaginal canal
- Greater palatine artery: enters the greater palatine foramen
- Gives rise to the lesser palatine branch
- Artery of the pterygoid canal
- Sphenopalatine artery: enters the sphenopalatine foramen
- Gives rise to the posterior lateral nasal arteries
- Gives rise to the posterior septal branches
- Posterior superior alveolar artery
- Gives rise to the anterior superior alveolar artery
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