infraorbital artery

The infraorbital artery is a branch of the third part of the maxillary artery. It runs through the inferior orbital fissure, orbit, infraorbital canal then the infraorbital foramen. Here it gives off the anterior superior alveolar artery which supplies the anterior teeth and the anterior part of the maxillary sinus.

It emerges from the infraorbital foramen onto the midface, where it supplies the lateral aspect of the nose, upper lip and the lower eyelid. It anastomoses with the transverse facial and buccal arteries and branches of the ophthalmic and facial arteries.

Summary

• origin: third part of the maxillary artery
• course: enters the orbit through the inferior orbital fissure, courses anteriorly along the floor of the orbit in the infraorbital groove and canal before emerging through the infraorbital foramen onto the face
• branches
  • middle superior alveolar artery
  • anterior superior alveolar artery
• termination: anastomoses with the transverse facial and buccal arteries

Variant anatomy

• middle superior alveolar artery branch may be absent

Siehe auch:

• ophthalmic artery
• Arteria facialis

und weiter:

• Arteria maxillaris
• Arteria buccalis
• Äste der Arteria maxillaris