Maxillary artery
From Freepedia
The maxillary artery is the larger of the two terminal branches of the external carotid artery. It arises posterior to the neck of the mandibular condyle, and then passes superficial or deep to the lateral pterygoid muscle. The artery passes medially from the infratemporal fossa through the pterygomaxillary fissure to enter the pterygopalatine fossa. The maxillary artery is thus divided into three parts by its relation to the lateral pterygoid muscle.
It gives off five branches:
- Middle meningeal artery which runs through the foramen spinosum
- Inferior alveolar artery which runs down through the mandibular foramen to supply the lower teeth
- Deep temporal artery which runs under temporalis
- Buccal artery which supplies the cheek
- Sphenopalatine artery which supplies the soft palate, upper molars, palate, and the orbit.
