Inferior alveolar artery


The inferior alveolar artery is an artery of the head. It is a branch of the maxillary artery. It descends through the infratemporal fossa as part of a neurovascular bundle with the inferior alveolar nerve and vein to the mandibular foramen where it enters and passes anteriorly inside the mandible, supplying the body of mandible and the dental pulp of the lower molar and premolar teeth. Its terminal incisor branch supplies the rest of the lower teeth. Its mental branch exits the mandibula anteriorly through the mental foramen to supply adjacent lip and skin.''''''

Structure

Course

It passes inferior-ward through the infratemporal fossa as part of a neurovascular bundle with the inferior alveolar nerve and vein to the mandibular foramen.' In the infratemporal fossa, it is situated posterior to the inferior alveolar nerve, lateral to the skull, and medial to the sphenomandibular ligament.
It enters the mandibular foramen to come to pass anterior-ward' within the mandibular canal alongside the inferior alveolar nerve. Within the canal, it provides arterial supply to the mandibular/lower molar and premolar teeth before splitting into its two terminal branches close to the first premolar.

Branches

The inferior alveolar artery and its incisor branch during their course through mandibular canal issue a few twigs which are lost in the cancellous tissue, and a series of branches which correspond in number to the number of the roots of the teeth: these enter the minute apertures at the extremities of the roots of the teeth to supply the pulp of the teeth.

Lingual branch

Near to its origin, the inferior alveolar artery issues a lingual branch which passes inferior-ward alongside the lingual nerve. It provides arterial supply to the mucous membrane of the tongue.

Incisor branch

The incisor branch is continued anterior-ward inferior to the incisor teeth as far as the midline where it anastomoses with its contralateral partner.

Mental branch

The mental branch exits the mandibula anteriorly at the mental foramen alongside the mental nerve. It provides arterial supply to the chin, supplying adjacent skin and lip. It forms anastomoses with the submental and inferior labial arteries.

Mylohyoid branch

The inferior alveolar artery emits the mylohyoid branch before entering the mandibular foramen. The branch pierces the sphenomandibular ligament to come to pass inferior-ward along the mylohyoid groove accompanied by the mylohyoid nerve. The branch ramifies upon the mylohyoid muscle and provides arterial supply to this muscle. It forms anastomoses with the submental branch of the facial artery.