29 Questions
Which salivary gland is the smallest?
Sublingual gland
Which nerve carries the postganglionic parasympathetic fibers to the parotid gland?
Lesser petrosal nerve
In a patient with tense swelling and tenderness below the body of the mandible, which duct is affected?
Submandibular
Which salivary gland produces a mixed serous & mucous secretion?
Submandibular gland
What is the predominant character of saliva produced by the parotid gland?
Serous
Where is the parotid gland positioned?
Below the zygomatic arch
What is the shape of the parotid gland?
Triangular
What type of acini forms the parotid gland?
Serous acini
Which salivary gland is the largest?
Parotid gland
What structures wedge the parotid gland?
Anteriorly Mandibular ramus & Masseter muscle
Which glands are predominantly located in the submucosa of the oral cavity?
Minor salivary glands
What is the innervation of the parotid gland?
Facial nerve (CN VII)
Which salivary glands produce saliva that is predominantly mucous in character?
Sublingual glands
Which salivary gland is located in the cheek and consists of superficial and deep parts?
Parotid Gland
What is the length of the Parotid Duct (of Stensen)?
5 cm
Which structure is the most superficial in the parotid gland?
Facial Nerve
What does the retromandibular vein drain into?
Internal Jugular Vein (anterior branch)
Which artery supplies blood to the parotid gland?
External Carotid Artery
Where does lymphatic drainage from the parotid gland occur?
Parotid (Preauricular) Lymph Nodes
Which salivary gland is predominantly formed of serous acini?
Parotid gland
Where is the parotid gland positioned in relation to the mandible?
Wedge between the mandibular ramus and masseter muscle
Which nerve provides innervation to the parotid gland?
Facial nerve (CN VII)
Which vein does the retromandibular vein drain into?
Internal jugular vein
How is the submandibular gland innervated?
Sympathetic fibers from the plexus around the facial artery and parasympathetic fibers from the superior salivary nucleus of the facial nerve
What is responsible for dividing the parotid gland into superficial and deep parts?
Facial nerve
Which salivary gland is the smallest?
Sublingual gland
Which nerve carries the postganglionic parasympathetic fibers to the parotid gland?
Lesser petrosal nerve
In a patient with tense swelling and tenderness below the body of the mandible, which duct is affected?
Submandibular duct
Which of the following is the predominant character of saliva produced by the parotid gland?
Serous
Study Notes
- Parotid Gland: located in the cheek, consists of superficial and deep parts, divided by the facial nerve.
- Parotid Duct (of Stensen): 5 cm long, opens into the vestibule of the mouth, runs on the masseter muscle, pierces the buccinators muscle.
- Facial Nerve: most superficial structure in the parotid gland, divides it into superficial and deep parts, gives 5 branches within the gland.
- Retromandibular Vein: within the gland, formed by the union of maxillary and superficial temporal veins, divides into anterior and posterior branches, drains into the internal jugular vein (anterior branch) and external jugular vein (posterior branch).
- External Carotid Artery: deepest structure in the parotid gland, divided into maxillary and superficial temporal arteries, supplies the gland with blood.
- Parotid Gland: blood supply is by the external carotid artery, venous drainage is through the retromandibular vein, and lymphatic drainage is to the parotid (preauricular) lymph nodes.
- Parotid Gland: innervated by parasympathetic fibers (secretomotor) from the inferior salivary nucleus, passing through the glossopharyngeal nerve, tympanic plexus, and lesser petrosal nerve, reaching the otic ganglion.
- Submandibular Gland: located deep to the body of the mandible, consists of a large superficial part and a small deep part, the duct (of Wharton) emerges from the deep part, and can be palpated through the floor of the mouth alongside the tongue.
- Submandibular Gland: blood supply is by the facial artery, venous drainage is through the facial vein, and lymphatic drainage is to the submandibular lymph nodes.
- Submandibular Gland: prone to calculus formation, diagnosis involves finding a tense swelling below the body of the mandible, which is greatest before or during a meal and reduced in size between meals, with absence of saliva ejection from the affected gland's duct orifice and possible stone palpation in the duct.
- Sublingual Gland: smallest of the three salivary glands, located below the mucous membrane of the floor of the mouth, almond-shaped, contains multiple sublingual ducts that open into the summit of the sublingual fold or submandibular duct, and is supplied with blood by the facial artery and drained by the facial vein and submandibular lymph nodes.
- Ranula: mucus extravasation cyst involving the sublingual gland, found on the floor of the mouth.
- Sublingual and Submandibular glands: innervated by sympathetic fibers from the plexus around the facial artery and parasympathetic fibers from the superior salivary nucleus of the facial nerve, which pass to the submandibular ganglion via the chorda tympani and lingual nerve.
- MCQs: various questions testing the knowledge of the structures discussed in the text.
Note that some of the bullet points are repeated for clarity and completeness.
- Parotid Gland: located in the cheek, consists of superficial and deep parts, divided by the facial nerve.
- Parotid Duct (of Stensen): 5 cm long, opens into the vestibule of the mouth, runs on the masseter muscle, pierces the buccinators muscle.
- Facial Nerve: most superficial structure in the parotid gland, divides it into superficial and deep parts, gives 5 branches within the gland.
- Retromandibular Vein: within the gland, formed by the union of maxillary and superficial temporal veins, divides into anterior and posterior branches, drains into the internal jugular vein (anterior branch) and external jugular vein (posterior branch).
- External Carotid Artery: deepest structure in the parotid gland, divided into maxillary and superficial temporal arteries, supplies the gland with blood.
- Parotid Gland: blood supply is by the external carotid artery, venous drainage is through the retromandibular vein, and lymphatic drainage is to the parotid (preauricular) lymph nodes.
- Parotid Gland: innervated by parasympathetic fibers (secretomotor) from the inferior salivary nucleus, passing through the glossopharyngeal nerve, tympanic plexus, and lesser petrosal nerve, reaching the otic ganglion.
- Submandibular Gland: located deep to the body of the mandible, consists of a large superficial part and a small deep part, the duct (of Wharton) emerges from the deep part, and can be palpated through the floor of the mouth alongside the tongue.
- Submandibular Gland: blood supply is by the facial artery, venous drainage is through the facial vein, and lymphatic drainage is to the submandibular lymph nodes.
- Submandibular Gland: prone to calculus formation, diagnosis involves finding a tense swelling below the body of the mandible, which is greatest before or during a meal and reduced in size between meals, with absence of saliva ejection from the affected gland's duct orifice and possible stone palpation in the duct.
- Sublingual Gland: smallest of the three salivary glands, located below the mucous membrane of the floor of the mouth, almond-shaped, contains multiple sublingual ducts that open into the summit of the sublingual fold or submandibular duct, and is supplied with blood by the facial artery and drained by the facial vein and submandibular lymph nodes.
- Ranula: mucus extravasation cyst involving the sublingual gland, found on the floor of the mouth.
- Sublingual and Submandibular glands: innervated by sympathetic fibers from the plexus around the facial artery and parasympathetic fibers from the superior salivary nucleus of the facial nerve, which pass to the submandibular ganglion via the chorda tympani and lingual nerve.
- MCQs: various questions testing the knowledge of the structures discussed in the text.
Note that some of the bullet points are repeated for clarity and completeness.
Test your knowledge of the anatomy of the salivary glands including the Parotid, Submandibular, and Sublingual glands. Learn about their positions, shapes, structures, innervation, ducts, and more.
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