Branches of Facial Artery

 Facial Artery

Facial Artery Origin

• Facial Artery  is branch of external carotid artery
• Given off in the carotid triangle just above the tip of greater cornua of hyoid bone

Facial Artery Course:

• Facial Artery  runs first in the neck as cervical part
• Then on the face as facial part
• Both parts are very tortuous
• Facial Artery  winds around the base of mandible, pierce the deep cervical fascia at the anteroinferior angle of masseter muscle and enters the face
• Facial Artery  Starts: at 25 cm lateral to the angle of the mouth
• Facial Artery  Ascends: By side of nose upto medial angle of eye
• Facial Artery  Terminates: By supplying lacrimal sac
• Facial Artery  Anastomose: With dorsal nasal branch of the ophthalmic artery

Facial Artery Branches:

Arterial Supply and Venous Drainage of Face

• The face is richly vascular.

Venous Drainage of Face Arterial supply:

1. Facial artery
   • Facial artery is chief artery of face
     Branch of:
   • External carotid artery given off in carotid triangle

Venous Drainage of Face Branches:

1. Anterior branches

2. Posterior branches

• They are small and unnamed

3. Transverse facial artery

• It is small artery
  Branch of:
  • Superficial temporal artery
• Structures supplied by it
• • Parotid gland and its duct
  • Masseter and the overlying skin
  • Anastomose with neighbouring arteries

4. Arteries that accompany the cutaneous nerves

• These are small branches of ophthalmic, maxillary and superficial temporal artery.

Venous Drainage:

• Veins of the face communicates with the cavernous sinus.

Buccinator Muscle

Buccinator Muscle Origin:

• Upper fibres from maxilla opposite molar teeth
• Lower fibres from mandible opposite molar teeth
• Middle fibres from pterygomandibular raphe

Buccinator Muscle Insertion:

• Upper fibres straight to the upper lip
• Lower fibres straight to the lower lip
• Middle fibres decussate before passing to the lips

Buccinator Muscle Action:

• Flattens cheek against gums & teeth
• Prevents accumulation of food in the vestibule
• It is a whistling muscle

Buccinator Muscle Examination:

• Puffing the mouth and then blowing forcibly as in whistling

Buccinator Muscle Nerve Supply:

• Buccal branch of facial nerve

Buccinator Muscle Applied Anatomy:

• In infranuclear lesions of the facial nerve, (Bell’s palsy) buccinators muscle is effected
• It leads to inability to blow the cheek & food accumulation between teeth & cheek.

Cutaneous innervations of face. (or) Mention the sensory nerve supply to the face.