masseteric nerve
{{Short description|Nerve of the face}}
{{Infobox nerve
| Name = Masseteric nerve
| Latin = nervus massetericus
| Image = Gray781.png
| Caption = Mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. (Masseteric visible near center.)
| Image2 =
| Caption2 =
| Innervates = Masseter muscle, temporomandibular joint
| BranchFrom = Mandibular nerve
| BranchTo =
}}
The masseteric nerve is a nerve of the face. It is a branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3). It passes through the mandibular notch to reach masseter muscle. It provides motor innervation the masseter muscle, and sensory innervation to the temporomandibular joint.
Structure
= Origin =
The masseteric nerve is a branch of (the anterior division of) the mandibular nerve (CN V3) (itself a branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V)).{{Cite book |last=Sinnatamby |first=Chummy S. |title=Last's Anatomy |publisher= Elsevier Australia|year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7295-3752-0 |edition=12th |pages=364}}{{Cite book |last=Standring |first=Susan |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1201341621 |title=Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-7020-7707-4 |edition=42th |location=New York |pages=680 |oclc=1201341621}}
= Course =
It passes laterally superior to the lateral pterygoid muscle, anterior to the temporomandibular joint, and posterior to the tendon of the temporalis muscle. It crosses (the posterior portion of) the mandibular notch alongside the masseteric artery before branching out upon the surface of the masseter muscle, then entering the muscle.
= Distribution =
The masseteric nerve provides motor innervation the masseter muscle. It additionally sends articular (sensory) branches to the temporomandibular joint.
Clinical significance
The masseteric nerve may be harvested and used to repair paralysis of the facial nerve (CN VII).{{Cite journal |last1=Brenner |first1=Erich |last2=Schoeller |first2=Thomas |date=1998 |title=Masseteric nerve: A possible donor for facial nerve anastomosis? |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/%28SICI%291098-2353%281998%2911%3A6%3C396%3A%3AAID-CA5%3E3.0.CO%3B2-8 |journal=Clinical Anatomy |language=en |volume=11 |issue=6 |pages=396–400 |doi=10.1002/(SICI)1098-2353(1998)11:6<396::AID-CA5>3.0.CO;2-8 |issn=1098-2353 |pmid=9800919 |s2cid=10697813}}{{Cite journal|last=Spira|first=M|date=1978-03-01|title=Anastomosis of masseteric nerve to lower division of facial nerve for correction of lower facial paralysis. Preliminary report|url=https://doi.org/10.1097/00006534-197803000-00004|journal=Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery|volume=61|issue=3|pages=330–334|doi=10.1097/00006534-197803000-00004|issn=1529-4242|pmid=625495|s2cid=42995889}}
See also
References
{{Gray's}}
{{Trigeminal nerve}}
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