Dissection of left infratemporal and pterygopalatine fossae

Internal maxillary artery and plexus of nerves; deep part of pterygoid plexus of veins, lateral view

Stanford holds the copyright to the David L. Bassett anatomical images and has assigned Creative Commons license Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International to all of the images.
For additional information regarding use and permissions, please contact Dr. Drew Bourn at dbourn@stanford.edu.

Image #65-5

Dissection of left infratemporal and pterygopalatine fossae

Internal maxillary artery and plexus of nerves; deep part of pterygoid plexus of veins, lateral view

The external pterygoid muscle has been removed except for short remnants of its origins (4,13). The mandible has been removed although its articular disk has been retained.

1. Middle meningeal artery in middle cranial fossa (also see 12)
2. Anterior deep temporal nerve
3. Upper pointer: Posterior deep temporal nerve Lower pointer: Masseteric nerve
4. Upper area of origin of external pterygoid muscle
5. Maxillary nerve
6. Deep anterior temporal artery
7. Internal maxillary artery
8. Upper pointer: Buccal artery Lower pointer: Buccal nerve
9. Upper pointer: Buccal branch of superior posterior alveolar nerve Lower pointer: Superior posterior alveolar artery
10. Pterygoid venous plexus
11. Internal maxillary nerve plexus
12. Middle meningeal artery
13. Lower area of origin of external pterygoid muscle
14. Pterygoid branch of internal maxillary artery
15. Buccinator muscle
16. Lingual nerve
17. Zygomatic process of temporal bone
18. Upper cavity of temporomandibular joint (pointer on articular disc)
19. Upper pointer: Joint capsule of mandible Lower pointer: Lower cavity of temporomandibular joint
20. Auriculotemporal nerve
21. Upper pointer: Styloid process of temporal bone Lower pointer: Deep auricular artery
22. Anastomotic branch of auriculotemporal nerve with facial nerve
23. Facial nerve (VII)
24. Upper pointer: Superficial temporal artery Lower pointer: Transverse facial artery
25. Posterior belly of digastric muscle
26. Upper pointer: Deep posterior temporal artery Lower pointer: Inferior alveolar artery
27. Inferior alveolar nerve
28. External carotid artery
29. Mylohyoid nerve
30. Area of insertion of internal pterygoid muscle on medial aspect of angle of mandible