- Branch off the Mandibular nerve off Trigeminal nerve
- Joined by the chorda tympani (branch of facial nerve (CN VII))
- Course
- Between the lateral pterygoid and tensor veli palatini muscles
- Extends superficial to the medial pterygoid muscle.
- At the posterior margin of the mylohyloid line, the lingual nerve travels along the internal surface of the mandible and is located deep to the mylohyoid muscle within the floor of the mouth.
- From here the lingual nerve extends anteriorly passing from lateral to medial under the submandibular gland to enter the lateral margin of the mid-tongue.
- Action
- Entirely sensory
- But receives secretomotor parasympathetic fibers and special visceral sensory fibers for taste from the chorda tympani (branch of facial nerve (CN VII)).
- Branches,
- Sublingual nerve
- Lingual branches
- Gingival branches
- Branches to the submandibular and sublingual ganglia (autonomic fibers synapse in ganglia).
- Through these branches the lingual nerve provides sensory innervation to the mucosa of the anterior 2/3 of the tongue, floor of the mouth and the lingual gingiva
- Taste is however via the corda typmani from the Facial Nerve to the anterior 2/3.
- secretomotor parasympathetic fibres to the submandibular, sublingual and minor salivary glands and special visceral sensory fibers for taste to the anterior 2/3 of the tongue.
