Inferior alveolar artery

At a glance

English

Inferior alveolar artery

Latin (TA2)

Arteria alveolaris inferior

System

Artery

Region

Head

Side

Paired, left and right

About the inferior alveolar artery

The inferior alveolar artery, also called the inferior dental artery, is the artery of the lower jaw. It comes from the first (mandibular) part of the maxillary artery, the segment that lies behind the neck of the mandible, and is one of several branches from this part, along with the middle meningeal artery.

The artery runs downwards with the inferior alveolar nerve and vein, between the sphenomandibular ligament and the ramus of the mandible, towards the mandibular foramen on the inner surface of the ramus. Just before entering the foramen it gives off its mylohyoid branch; this follows the mylohyoid groove below the foramen and supplies mylohyoid. Inside the bone the artery travels forwards in the mandibular canal with its nerve, below the roots of the molars and premolars. Opposite the first premolar it divides into two branches, the mental and the incisive.

Throughout its course in the canal it gives small twigs to the spongy bone and a branch to each tooth root; these enter the apical foramina and supply the dental pulp, and others supply the gums and the bony sockets. The incisive branch continues forwards under the canine and incisors to the midline, where it meets the artery of the other side. The mental branch leaves the bone at the mental foramen with the mental nerve and supplies the chin and the lower lip, linking with the inferior labial and submental arteries.

Its intimate relation to the nerve in the canal explains why dental procedures can affect both. An inferior alveolar nerve block is given by injecting near the mandibular foramen, and the needle may enter the vessel, so practitioners aspirate first. Removal of impacted lower wisdom teeth, implant placement and fractures of the mandible can injure the artery and nerve in the canal. The canal is traced on radiographs and scans before surgery for this reason.

Course and supply

Arises from

First (mandibular) part of the maxillary artery, behind the neck of the mandible.

Ends in

Divides opposite the first premolar into the mental branch, which exits at the mental foramen, and the incisive branch, which ends at the midline.

Supplies

Supplies the lower teeth and their pulp, the gums, the body of the mandible, mylohyoid, and the chin and lower lip through its mental branch.