Inferior alveolar nerve

Nerve: Inferior alveolar nerve
Distribution of the maxillary and mandibular nerves, and the submaxillary ganglion. (Inferior alveolar visible at center left.)
Mandibular division of the trifacial nerve. (Inferior alveolar labeled at bottom right.)
Latin	nervus alveolaris inferior
Gray's	subject #200 896
Innervates	dental alveolus
From	mandibular nerve
To	mylohyoid, dental, incisive, and mental

The inferior alveolar nerve (sometimes called the inferior dental nerve) is a branch of the mandibular nerve, which is itself the third branch (V3) of the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V).

Path

Before traversing the mandibular foramen, it first gives off the nerve to the mylohyoid, a motor nerve supplying the mylohyoid and the anterior belly of the digastric. It then enters the mandible via the mandibular foramen.

While in the mandibular canal within the mandible, it supplies the mandibular (lower) teeth with sensory branches that form into the inferior dental plexus and give off small gingival and dental nerves to the teeth.

Anteriorly, the nerve gives off the mental nerve at about the level of the mandibular 2nd premolars, which exits the mandible via the mental foramen (supplying sensory branches to the chin and lower lip).

The inferior alveolar nerve continues to innervate the mandibular canines and incisors.

Anesthesia

Administration of anesthesia near the mandibular foramen causes blockage of the inferior alveolar nerve and the nearby lingual nerve (supplying the tongue). This is why the numbing of the lower jaw during dental procedures causes patients to lose sensation in:

• their teeth (inferior alveolar nerve block)
• their lower lip and chin (mental nerve block)
• and their tongue (lingual nerve block).

Additional images

Mandible of human embryo 95 mm. long. Inner aspect. Nuclei of cartilage stippled.

Mandibular division of trifacial nerve, seen from the middle line.

References

External links

• SUNY Figs 27:03-06
• MedEd at Loyola GrossAnatomy/h_n/cn/cn1/cnb3.htm
• lesson4 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (mandibularnerve)
• cranialnerves at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (V)

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