Lingual Artery Anatomy

The lingual artery:
- Is a branch of the external carotid artery
- It is the principal artery supplying the:
  - Tongue
  - Sublingual gland
  - Gingiva
  - Oral mucosa of the floor of the mouth
- Within the tongue, it is located:
  - Deep to the hyoglossus muscle
The lingual artery gives off four branches:
- Three of these are given off in the floor of the mouth:
  - These three branches form an extensive anastomotic network that ensures a rich blood supply to the muscles of the tongue and other structures in the floor of the oral cavity
The lingual artery:
- Arises from the anterior surface of the external carotid artery in the neck
- It emerges close to the tip of the greater horn / cornu of the hyoid bone:
  - Lies on the middle pharyngeal constrictor muscle
- From its origin, the artery arches upwards and anteriorly:
  - Giving off its first branch:
    - The suprahyoid artery
- The lingual artery then travels deep to the hyoglossus muscle:
  - Where it gives off the dorsal lingual arteries
- The artery then continues into the floor of the mouth:
  - Passing lateral to the genioglossus muscle
- At the anterior border of the hyoglossus muscle:
  - The lingual artery takes an upward turn and bifurcates into:
    - The deep lingual and sublingual arteries
- Along its path:
  - The lingual artery is accompanied by the lingual veins and the glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX)
The lingual artery has four branches;
- The suprahyoid branch:
  - Travels along the superior border of the hyoid bone
  - It anastomoses with its counterpart on the contralateral side:
    - To supply the muscles attaching to the hyoid bone
- The dorsal lingual branches:
  - Form anastomoses with their contralateral counterparts:
    - To supply the base of the tongue and its mucous membrane, as well as the palatoglossal arch, tonsil, soft palate and epiglottis
    - These branches are normally two to three small vessels that branch off the lingual artery medial to the hyoglossus muscle and pass into the posterior aspect of the tongue
- The sublingual branch:
  - Supplies the sublingual gland, mylohyoid muscle and the buccal and gingival mucous membranes
  - It arises at the anterior border of the hyoglossus muscle and travels between the genioglossus and mylohyoid muscles to reach the sublingual glands
- The deep lingual branch:
  - Forms the terminal portion of the lingual artery
  - It supplies the body of the tongue
  - The artery is located on the inferior aspect of the tongue close to the lingual frenulum
  - It passes between the genioglossus medially and the inferior longitudinal muscle laterally to reach the apex of the tongue