Hygiene Atlas

Atlas · Plate I · Head and Neck Anatomy · 05

Blood supply and venous drainage

The external carotid artery feeds the face and mouth, and its maxillary branch gives off the alveolar arteries that supply the teeth. The veins matter for safety: the pterygoid plexus around the lateral pterygoid is where a too-deep PSA needle causes a hematoma, and valveless facial veins connect to the cavernous sinus, so infection above the upper lip can spread inside the skull.

High-yield facts · 6

  1. The external carotid artery supplies the face and mouth; the maxillary artery is one of its two terminal branches.T4
  2. The maxillary artery gives the inferior alveolar, posterior superior alveolar, infraorbital, greater palatine and other branches.T4
  3. The lingual artery supplies the tongue; the facial artery is palpable at the anterior border of the masseter on the lower mandible.T4
  4. The pterygoid plexus of veins lies around the lateral pterygoid; a PSA needle inserted too deep can cause a hematoma there.S16
  5. Facial and ophthalmic veins have no valves and link to the cavernous sinus, so infections above the upper lip can spread intracranially.T4
  6. The internal jugular vein runs with the carotid in the carotid sheath and drains most of the head and neck.T4

Facts are written in our own words; each tag links to its source. Values marked "sources vary" differ between references, so check the one your program uses.