Artery Submental

The submental artery (lat. a. submentalis, also a. pectoralis superficialis minor) is a small artery in the chin area, the branches of which supply blood to the salivary glands and skin, as well as certain areas of the shoulder girdle and chest. This is the superficial branch of the thoracic aorta, which arises from its lateral ascending thoracic segment.

The submental trunk can be divided into two terminal branches: superficial and deep. The superficial branch enters the submandibular space and innervates the mucous membrane of the floor of the mouth and the lower lip. The deep branch passes through the hypopharyngeal fissure along the medial border of the temporalis muscle into the occipital region of the head. In addition, it passes through a narrowing in the posterior region of the sternum and can divide into two branches, one of which reaches the cervical vertebrae, and the other connects with the scapular artery and projects as an axillary branch along the outer edge of the scapula. It supplies blood to the skin over the deltoid muscle, the greater and lesser tuberosity of the subscapularis. All these branches return blood supply to nearby organs and tissues.

However, it is worth noting that this artery can be found in other places on the human body. For example, in some people, the submental arteries may pass through the lower base of the skull to the cervical spine, supplying the cerebellum, pons, and brainstem