Anterior Mandibular Lingual Foramina: An In Vivo Investigation
Figure 2
(a) Dissection of the IAA and its terminal branches. In this case, the IAA terminates by dividing into a mental incisive branch and a lingual branch, which communicates with the SA in the submandibular triangle. Before passing through the LF, the lingual branch also connects with the incisive branch in the anterior region (arrows). (a) Anteroinferior view of the mental region of the mandible. (b) Lateral view of the mental region of the mandible (see square of (a)). (c) Schematic illustration of the dissection shown in (a). AD: anterior belly of the digastric muscle; ECA: external carotid artery; FA: facial artery; IAA/V: inferior alveolar artery and vein; LBA/V: lingual branch of artery and the vein; Mand: mandible; MA/V: mental artery and vein; MIBA/V: mental incisive branch of artery and vein; MN: mental nerve; SA/V: submental artery and vein; SBG: submandibular gland. Bar 1 cm (from [13]).
