Maxillary artery: deep anatomy of the face
- Artery
Quick facts
- Origin
- Terminal branch of the external carotid, behind the neck of the mandible, inside the parotid.
- Course
- Crosses the infratemporal fossa and ends in the pterygopalatine fossa.
- Segments
- Mandibular, pterygoid and pterygopalatine.
- Branches that reach the skin
- Infraorbital, below the eye, and mental, on the chin, plus the buccal in the cheek.
- Relevance in facial harmonization
- The infraorbital communicates with the network of the angular and ophthalmic arteries; the deep temporal arteries lie in the temple.
The maxillary artery is the larger of the two terminal branches of the external carotid artery. It arises behind the neck of the mandible, inside the parotid, crosses the infratemporal fossa and ends in the pterygopalatine fossa, behind the maxilla. It supplies deep structures, such as the muscles of mastication, the teeth, the inside of the nose and the palate. In facial harmonization, it matters above all for the branches that reach the skin: the infraorbital, below the eye, and the mental, on the chin.
What are the segments and branches?
| Segment | Where it is | Branches of interest |
|---|---|---|
| Mandibular (1st) | Behind the neck of the mandible | Inferior alveolar, which exits at the chin as the mental artery; middle meningeal |
| Pterygoid (2nd) | Alongside the pterygoid muscles | Deep temporals (to the temporalis muscle), masseteric, buccal |
| Pterygopalatine (3rd) | Pterygopalatine fossa | Infraorbital, superior alveolars, descending palatine, sphenopalatine |
The trunk of the maxillary artery is deep and out of reach of aesthetic procedures. What comes close to the skin are the final branches, and their pattern varies between people.
Where do the branches appear on the face?
- Infraorbital: exits through the infraorbital foramen, below the lower edge of the orbit, together with the infraorbital nerve. Supplies the lower eyelid, medial cheek and upper lip and communicates with the angular artery and the dorsal nasal artery, a branch of the ophthalmic.
- Mental: exits through the mental foramen, in the mandible, with the mental nerve, and supplies the chin and lower lip.
- Deep temporals: rise between the temporalis muscle and the bone. Details in deep temporal arteries.
- Buccal: reaches the cheek, near the buccinator, and communicates with branches of the facial.
- Masseteric: enters the masseter through its deep surface.
Why does it matter in facial harmonization?
- Tear trough and cheekbone: the region of the infraorbital foramen is close to procedures in the tear trough and the medial cheekbone. The infraorbital's communication with the network linked to the ophthalmic artery is part of the visual risk map.
- Chin: the mental artery explains part of the care needed in the chin region, together with the labial branches.
- Temple: the deep temporals occupy the plane next to the bone, one of the vascular levels of the temple.
- Anesthesia: infraorbital and mental nerve blocks are done near the exits of these bundles, which requires anatomical knowledge. Technique is the decision of the licensed professional.
Also called: internal maxillary artery (old name), arteria maxillaris.
Frequently asked questions
What are the branches of the maxillary artery?
There are many, and they are usually grouped into three segments. The most cited in facial harmonization are the inferior alveolar (which ends as the mental), the deep temporals, the masseteric, the buccal and the infraorbital, plus the sphenopalatine, linked to nosebleeds.
Is the infraorbital artery a branch of the maxillary?
Yes. It arises in the last segment of the maxillary artery, passes through the floor of the orbit and exits onto the face through the infraorbital foramen, together with the nerve of the same name.