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The boundaries of the infratemporal fossa1. Moore, Keith L & Dalley, Arthur (2006). Clinically oriented anatomy (5th ed.), Lippincott

Williams & Wilkins.

Superior boundary(wall/roof): Infratemporal surface of the greater wing of the sphenoid bone

Anterior boundary (wall): The posterior, infratemporal surface of the body of the maxillaand the

adjacent anterior tissues of the pterygomandibular space (including the pterygomandibular raphe)

Posterior boundary(wall): The styloid process and diaphragm (including the styloid musculature and

related fascia) and the carotid sheath

Lateral wall: Ramus and coronoid process of the mandible

Medial boundary(wall): The lateral lamina (lateral pterygoid plate) of the pterygoid process of the

sphenoid bone.

Inferior boundary: Open communication with cervical tissue spaces

Contents of the infratemporal fossa

Muscles

Lower part of the Temporalis and masseter muscles (origin of massetar muscle:lower margin of theinner surface of zygomatic bone insertion : outer surface of the ramus of the mandible )

Lateral and medial pterygoid muscles

Vessels

The internal maxillary vessels, consisting of the maxillary artery originating from the external carotid

artery and its branches.

MAXILLARY ARTERY

The larger of the 2 terminal branches of the external carotid a. (superficial temporal a.)

Arises posterior to the condylar neck of the mandible within the parotid gland

Exits the parotid gland and passes anteriorly between the ramus of the mandible and the

sphenomandibular lig. within the infratemporal fossa

Takes a course that is either superficial or deep to the lateral pterygoid until reaching the

pterygopalatine fossa via the pterygomaxillary fissure

Supplies the deep structures of the face and may be divided into 3 parts as it passes medially

through the infratemporal fossa:

1. 1st partmandibular part

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2. 2nd partpterygoid part

3. 3rd partpterygopalatine part

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Veins

pterygoid venous plexus

Nerves

Mandibular nerve, inferior alveolar nerve, lingual nerve, buccal nerve, chorda tympani nerve, and

otic ganglion.

Mandibular nerve

Mandibular nerve which is the third branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V3), also known as the

"inferior maxillary nerve", enters infratemporal fossa from middle cranial fossa through foramen

ovale.

Motor branches:

masseteric nerve

deep temporal nerve

lateral pterygoid nerve and medial pterygoid nerve

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Its motor fibers innervate all the muscles of mastication plus the mylohyoid, anterior belly of the

digastric, and the tensores veli palati and tympani

Sensory innervation:

meningeal nerve

buccal nerve

auriculotemporal nerve

lingual nerve

inferior alveolar nerve

auricle

external acoustic meatus

tympanic membrane

temporal region

cheek

skin overlying the mandible (except at the angle of the mandible) floor of mouth

lower teeth

gingiva

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