Auriculotemporal nerve
Nervus auriculotemporalis
Definition
The auriculotemporal nerve originates on the caudal border of the mandibular nerve. It runs caudolaterally to the neck of the mandible, bypassing its caudal surface to arrive under the rostral border of the parotid gland. It then joins the facial nerve, after emerging between the parotid gland and the caudal border of the masseter muscle, towards the temporomandibular joint.
It provides sensory fibers which supply the skin between the base of the ear, the zygomatic arch, the facial crest, the commissure of the lips, and, except the inferior lip and the chin, a line back to the base of the ear on, or a little bit dorsal to, the ventral line of the head.
It participates, with the facial nerve, in the constitution of a plexus that distributes itself to the superficial planes of the cheek.
References
Constantinescu GM, Schaller O. Illustrated veterinary anatomical nomenclature, 3rd Edition, Enke Verlag, Stuttgart, 2012.
Barone R, Simoens P. Anatomie comparée des mammifères domestiques, Tome 7, Neurologie II, Vigot, Paris, 2010.
