Anatomy Bones and Muscles · MU Pleven

50. Principal salivary glands

Covers the three paired salivary glands: the role of saliva and its functions, then the parotid gland's position, capsules, three surfaces and three borders, and the structures within it such as the external carotid artery, retromandibular vein and facial nerve. It then describes the submandibular gland's two lobes, the course and opening of Wharton's duct, and the almond-shaped sublingual gland with its sublingual fold. Blood supply for each gland is listed at the end.

Inside: 4 sections · 9 labelled pictures · 10 flashcards · 3 min

Topic 49 of 236 in the MU Pleven syllabus for Anatomy Bones and Muscles (Medicine, Year 2). The free AceMed note covers it in 4 sections, about 393 words (3 min of reading), with 10 flashcards.

In this note

  1. SALIVARY GLANDS
  2. Parotid gland: (pair)
  3. Submandibular gland :
  4. Sublingual gland :

SALIVARY GLANDS

  • Salivary glands secrete saliva into oral cavity
  • Saliva :
  • Clear, tasteless & odorless fluid
  • keeps mouth's mucosa hydrated
  • Lubricate food
  • Makes swallowing easier.
  • Starts digestion of strach.
  • bec, it contains amylase enzyme

Para (around) otic (ear)

Parotid gland: (pair)

  • The largest of the three paired salivary glands
  • Triangular in shape.
  • Position:
  • Anterior and below the lower half of the ear
  • Coverings:
  • False Capsule: formed by the investing layer of deep cervical fascia.
  • True capsule: Condensation of the fibrous stroma of the gland

It has 3 surfaces & 3 borders:

Structures within the parotid gland:

  1. 1. External Carotid artery (the deepest structure)
  2. 2. Retromandibular vein (it is formed within the gland by union of maxillary and superficial temporal vein).
  3. 3. Facial nerve (most superficial structure) (runs horizontally)
  • It enters the gland and divide within its substance giving 5 terminal branches).

Submandibular gland :

  • Located within the submandibular triangle of the neck,
  • Structure :

Each submandibular gland has:

  1. 1. Superficial loob
  2. 2. Deep loob

separated by the mylohyoid muscle.

  • Each gland has submandibular duct or Wharton's duct:
  • Starts from anterior end of deep part of the gland .
  • 2 inches long.
  • excretes the contents of the gland onto the floor of the oral cavity.
  • It runs on hyoglossus muscle, situated btw 2 nerves (lingual & hypoglossal)
  • Then runs btw. sublingual gland and genioglossus muscle.
  • It opens on the summit of sublingual papilla.

Blood Supply of submandibular glands:

  1. 1. Facial & lingual arteries
  2. 2. Facial & lingual veins.

Continue reading free

The whole note, all 4 sections, is free with an AceMed account, with its 10 flashcards. Premium adds flashcard recall, highlights and Ask AI.

Start freeAlready a member? Open the note