Corpus: Infraorbital artery

The infraorbital artery is a vascular branch of the maxillary artery that runs along the lower edge of the eye socket (orbit).

The infraorbital artery continues in the direction of the proximal section of the maxillary artery. It enters the orbit through the inferior orbital fissure. There it runs - together with the infraorbital nerve - in the infraorbital sulcus and in the infraorbital canal in a rostral direction. Finally, it appears in the infraorbital foramen on the surface of the facial skull - covered by the levator labii superioris muscle.

In the infraorbital canal it gives off the anterior superior alveolar artery and fine branches to the orbit (rami orbitales), which supply the inferior rectus muscle, the inferior oblique muscle and the lacrimal sac.

In the extracranial end section of the artery, some branches run to the medial corner of the eye and to the lacrimal sac, where they form anastomoses with the angular artery. Others run to the nose, where they anastomose with the dorsal nasal artery from the ophthalmic artery. Still others descend caudally between the levator labii superioris muscle and the levator anguli oris muscle and form anastomoses with the facial artery and the buccal artery.

• Arteria alveolaris superior anterior
• Rami orbitales