ANATOMY OF SALIVARY

GLANDS

PAVANI GOWDA M R
Salivary glands are compound exocrine glands which
secrete saliva

Divided into –
a. Major salivary glands – Parotid gland
Submandibular gland
Sublingual gland
b. Minor salivary glands – numerous small glands in the
tongue , palate , cheeks and the lips .
PAROTID GLAND
Largest salivary gland
Pyramidal in shape
Location – below external acoustic meatus between
the ramus of mandible and sternocleidomastoid
Capsule of parotid gland
Investing layer of deep cervical fascia
Superficial lamina – thin and adherent to gland
attached above to zygomatic arch
Deep lamina – thin and attached to styloid process ,
posterior border of the ramus of mandible and the
tympanic plate
Applied aspect
Parotid swellings are painful due to unyielding nature
of the capsule
Mumps – viral parotitis
- virus infection caused by paramyxovirus
Parts
Superficial- lies over posterior part of ramus of
mandible
Deep – lies behind mandible and medial pterygoid
muscle , in relation to mastoid and styloid process
Relations
Four surfaces –
a. Superior
b. Superficial
c. Anteromedial
d. posteromedial
 Three borders –
a. Anterior
b. Posterior
c. medial
Parotid duct or Stensons duct
Open into the vestibule
of mouth opposite the
crown of the upper
second molar tooth
Thick walled – 5 cm long
Blood supply
Nerve supply
Parasympathetic nerves
are secretomotor
Sympathetic nerves are
vasomotor – derived
from plexus around
middle meningeal artery
Sensory nerves come
from auriculotemporal
nerve
Applied aspect
Parotid abscess – caused due to spread of infection
from the opening of parotid duct in the oral cavity
Frey syndrome
SUBMANDIBULAR SALIVARY GLAND
Situated in the anterior part of the digastric triangle
Size of a walnut
J shaped
Has a large superficial part and a small deep part
Relations
Submandibular or wharton’s duct
Emerges at the anterior
end of deep part of the
gland
Opens at the floor of the
mouth , at the side of
frenulum of the tongue
Blood supply
Arterial supply – facial artery
Venous drainage – common facial and lingual vein
Applied aspect
Salivary calculi – commonly found in the duct of
submandibular gland
Because the -secretions are viscous
- due to gravitational force
SUBLINGUAL GLANDS
Smallest of salivary glands
Almond shaped
Sublingual duct – opens into the floor of mouth on
summit of sublingual fold
Relations
Blood supply
Lingual and submental arteries
Nerve supply
Supplied by branches
from submandibular
ganglion
Secretomotor fibers
Sensory fibers from
lingual nerve
Vasomotor sympathetic
fibers from plexus on the
facial artery
Applied aspect
Ranula – cystic
translucent lesion seen
in the floor of mouth on
one side of the frenulum
- Arises from sub lingual
salivary gland due to
obstruction of its ducts
Development of salivary glands
Ectodermal in origin
Develop from buccal
epithelium lateral to the
angle of the mouth
Outgrowth branches
repeatedly to form duct
system and acini
Mesoderm forms the
intervening connective
tissue septa
Thank you