The facial artery is a blood vessel which supplies 40% of the face. The maxillary and the transverse facial artery irrigate the remainder 60% with oxygenated blood. The facial artery arises from the anterior side of the external carotid, slightly above the lingual artery.
From its point of origin, the facial artery travels forwards and upwards, running under the posterior belly of the digastric muscle and the stylohyoid muscle. Then it extends into the submandibular triangle, piercing the submandibular gland. Next it runs laterally, curving around the border of the body of mandible and turning upwards onto the side of the face. Then stretches obliquely towards the medial angle of eye between the superficial and deep muscles of facial expression, sending small collateral branches that supply the masseter, zygomaticus major, buccinator, levator anguli oris, and levator labii superioris muscle. Finally, the facial ends up as the angular artery, which is its terminal branch.
Along its course, the facial artery gives off the following branches: a) ascending palatine artery, which supplies the soft palate and the lateral wall of pharynx; b) tonsillar branch, which brings oxygenated blood to the tonsils; c) inferior labial artery, which irrigates the lower lip; d) superior labial artery, which supplies the upper lip; e) submental artery, which supplies the mylohyoid muscle and sublingual gland; f) branches to the submandibular gland; g) angular artery, which is the terminal branch supplying the muscles and skin of side of nose.
Below, picture showing the facial artery as it arises from the external carotid (about 1 cm above the lingual artery)
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