Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Mental nerve

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Innervates
  
Dorlands/Elsevier
  
n_05/12566174

FMA
  
53250

Latin
  
nervus mentalis

TA
  
A14.2.01.094

Mental nerve

Mental nerve is a sensory nerve which provides sensation to the front of the chin and lower lip as well as the buccal gingivae of the mandibular anterior teeth and the premolars. It is a branch of the posterior trunk of the inferior alveolar nerve, which is itself a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (CN V).

The nerve emerges at the mental foramen in the mandibula, and divides beneath the Depressor anguli oris muscle into three branches:

  • one descends to the skin of the chin.
  • two ascend to the skin and mucous membrane of the lower lip.
  • These branches communicate freely with the facial nerve.

    Anesthesia

    The mental nerve can be blocked with local anesthesia, a procedure used in surgery of the chin, lower lip and buccal mucosa from midline to the second premolar. In this technique, local anesthetic is infiltrated in the soft tissue surrounding the mental foramen.

    References

    Mental nerve Wikipedia


    Similar Topics