The paired maxillary artery represents the natural continuation of the external carotid artery from the junction of the superficial temporal artery. The maxillary artery can be divided into three sections and forms connections in its terminal region with other arterial vessels that originate from the facial artery. Its function is to supply part of the organs and tissues located in the deep facial region.
What is the maxillary artery?
The maxillary artery, also known as the maxillary artery, is the natural continuation of the external carotid artery or external carotid artery. The external carotid artery divides into two branches, the superficial temporal artery (superficial temporal artery) and the maxillary artery (maxillary artery). It is a paired artery that is a mirror image on both sides of the head. Numerous smaller arteries branch off from the artery, which can be divided into three sections, to supply their target organs or target tissues. Target organs and target tissues include the mandible, teeth and tympanic cavity of the middle ear, and the dura mater of the brain and spinal canal. In its terminal branches, the maxillary artery forms so-called anastomoses, connections to lateral branches of the facial artery.
Anatomy and structure
The maxillary artery embodies the transitional form from the elastic to the muscular type of artery. This means that it exhibits the passive properties of the large elastic arteries near the heart to some degree, but it also has the active mechanism of lumen change by tightening or relaxing the smooth muscle cells in its walls. Lumen change is mainly hormonally controlled via sympathetic stress hormones (tension) and via parasympathetic inhibitors of stress hormones (relaxation). The maxillary artery represents one of two terminal branches of the external carotid artery (external carotid artery) and arises in the retromandibular fossa at the level of the junction of the neck and head. The maxillary artery is divided into three sections, the pars mandibularis, pterygoidea, and pterygopalatina. From the mandibular section, a total of five arteries arise, which travel to the deep ear regions, the tympanic cavity, and the lower teeth, as well as to certain areas of the hard meninges (dura mater). From the pars pterygoidea, also called the intermuscular segment, arise four arteries that supply mainly the masseter muscles and the cheeks. Five arteries branch from the pars pterygopalatina, which supply the palate, nasal cavity, and teeth of the maxilla.
Function and tasks
The maxillary artery is part of the arterial side of the great circulatory system and thus, in conjunction with the rest of the arterial network, helps to smooth blood flow and maintain diastolic blood pressure. The elastic walls expand a little during peak systolic blood pressure and contract again during diastole, the relaxation phase of the ventricles, thus making a small contribution to the passive wind-cheating effect of the large body arteries near the heart. Through the musculature in the arterial wall, some of which is annular and some of which is spiral surrounding the artery, the maxillary artery also contributes to the adaptation and control of blood pressure to different performance demands. In its ostensible primary function, the maxillary artery serves to supply fresh, oxygenated blood to specific facial regions and deeper tissues. Specifically, the lateral branches of the maxillary artery carry oxygen-rich blood to the maxilla and mandible, the masseter muscles, the nasal cavity, and the tympanic cavity of the middle ear. In addition, parts of the dura mater, the hard meninges, and the palate are supplied by branches of the maxillary artery. The fact that some terminal branches of the maxillary artery connect with other arteries, forming so-called anastomoses, shows that the maxillary artery with its branches is of enormous importance. If pathological occlusion occurs, the connected arterial network can serve as a back-up and prevent necrosis of the affected tissue. If there are direct connections between the arterial and venous parts of the blood circulation without the interposition of the capillary system, these are usually pathological arteriovenous malformations, which can lead to serious clinical pictures.In certain cases, such a short circuit between the arterial and venous vein systems can also be artificially induced for the treatment of certain diseases.
Diseases
The maxillary artery is subject to the conditions that apply to the other arteries in terms of its potential to be compromised by disease. There is no known specific disease of the maxillary artery. The most common problems arise from disturbances in blood flow, which can be caused by narrowing, stenosis, in the lumen of the maxillary artery. The most common cause of stenosis is atherosclerosis, an enforcement of the arterial wall with plaques, deposits that make the arterial walls inelastic and cause narrowing in the artery or block it entirely. Inflammatory reactions may occur at the sites where plaques become embedded in the arterial wall. The inflammatory reactions can trigger the formation of blood clots and lead to a complete occlusion of the artery, a thrombosis. This can have far-reaching consequences because affected tissue areas can no longer be supplied with oxygen-rich blood. In rare cases, a bulge, an aneurysm, can form in the maxillary artery due to infectious and inflammatory vessel wall damage, provoking the risk of internal bleeding. If an aneurysm forms in the area of the dura mater, there is a risk that the bulge will lead to compression processes in the brain and impairment of certain brain functions. In very rare cases, the maxillary artery may be affected by an embolism. Embolism is caused by a thrombus that is accidentally washed into an artery by the blood flow, leading to occlusion of the vessel when its diameter falls below that of the thrombus.
