Superior labial artery

Superior labial artery (old name: superior coronary artery) is one of the facial branches of the facial artery. It is bigger and more serpiginous than the inferior labial artery. It supplies the upper lip, including its labial glands, mucous membranes and muscles.

Summary

• origin: facial branch of the facial artery, just distal to the origin of the inferior labial artery and lateral to the angle of the mouth
• course: it passes superiorly and anteriorly, behind the depressor anguli oris muscle, before piercing the orbicularis oris muscle, and taking a meandering path between the muscle and the labial mucous membrane along the inferior margin of the upper lip, close to the wet line
• branches: 
  • nasal
    • septal: branching out on the anterior cartilaginous septum 
    • alar: supplies the nasal ala
• termination: anastomosis with the contralateral superior labial artery