The submental artery is a branch of the facial artery, one of the major arteries of the face and neck. It is the largest cervical branch of the facial artery and is responsible for supplying blood to the chin and floor of the mouth.
Location
The submental artery originates from the facial artery as it passes deep to the mandible near the lower border of the mandible. It runs forward beneath the body of the mandible, traveling superficially to the mylohyoid muscle in the submental region (the area under the chin). The artery continues its course toward the chin and floor of the mouth, where it divides into smaller branches to supply the surrounding tissues, including the anterior belly of the digastric muscle and the mylohyoid muscle.
Structure and Anatomy
Origin
The submental artery originates from the facial artery, typically as the facial artery curves over the lower border of the mandible near the anterior edge of the masseter muscle. It is the largest cervical branch of the facial artery and arises as the artery moves deeper into the neck, heading toward the submandibular region.
Course
After its origin from the facial artery, the submental artery runs anteriorly along the lower margin of the mandible. It moves beneath the mandible, following a superficial course, and travels deep to the platysma muscle but above the mylohyoid muscle, making its way toward the chin and the floor of the mouth. Along this course, the submental artery runs parallel to the lower edge of the mandible, but it gradually ascends toward the midline, following the contour of the submental region.
Branches
The submental artery gives off several smaller branches that supply blood to various structures in the submental region, including muscles and connective tissues. These include:
- Muscular Branches: These branches supply the anterior belly of the digastric muscle, which plays a role in depressing the mandible, and the mylohyoid muscle, which forms the muscular floor of the mouth. The artery’s muscular branches ensure these muscles receive adequate blood flow during movements related to chewing and swallowing.
- Cutaneous Branches: As the artery approaches the chin, it sends small cutaneous branches to supply the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the chin and lower lip. These branches are responsible for nourishing the skin in the submental and chin regions, contributing to the overall health and function of these areas.
Termination
The submental artery continues its anterior course until it reaches the midline of the chin. Here, it forms anastomoses with branches of the inferior labial artery and the contralateral submental artery on the opposite side of the chin. These connections provide additional vascular supply to the chin and lower lip, contributing to the redundancy of blood flow in this region.
Anastomoses
The submental artery forms several important anastomoses with other nearby arteries, ensuring a robust blood supply to the submental region and floor of the mouth:
- Inferior Labial Artery: The submental artery anastomoses with branches of the inferior labial artery, which is a branch of the facial artery that supplies the lower lip. This connection helps to ensure that the lower lip and chin remain well-supplied with blood even if one of the arteries is compromised.
- Contralateral Submental Artery: The submental artery on one side of the face anastomoses with the corresponding artery on the opposite side, creating a redundant blood supply to the floor of the mouth and the chin.
Relationship with Surrounding Structures
The submental artery is closely related to several important anatomical structures as it courses through the submental and mandibular regions:
- Mylohyoid Muscle: The artery travels superficial to the mylohyoid muscle, a muscle that forms the muscular floor of the mouth and supports the tongue during swallowing. The artery’s branches provide blood supply to this muscle.
- Anterior Belly of the Digastric Muscle: The submental artery supplies the anterior belly of the digastric muscle, a muscle involved in the depression of the mandible and elevation of the hyoid bone during swallowing.
- Platysma Muscle: The artery runs deep to the platysma muscle, a superficial muscle of the neck involved in facial expressions. The artery’s cutaneous branches pass through the muscle to supply the skin of the chin and lower lip.
- Mandible: The artery follows the contour of the lower border of the mandible as it courses toward the midline of the chin. Its path under the mandible makes it vulnerable during surgeries or trauma to this region.
Variations
The anatomy of the submental artery can exhibit some variability. In some individuals, the artery may take a more superficial or deeper course beneath the mandible. Additionally, its branching pattern and the size of its muscular or cutaneous branches may vary, depending on the individual’s anatomy. These variations are important for surgeons to consider during procedures in the submental region, such as chin surgeries or reconstructive procedures.
Surrounding Vascular Structures
The submental artery is located near several other important vascular structures, including:
- Facial Artery: The submental artery arises from the facial artery, which supplies blood to the lips, cheeks, and other parts of the face. The facial artery continues its course upward to supply the upper face after giving rise to the submental branch.
- Inferior Labial Artery: The submental artery anastomoses with the inferior labial artery, ensuring a shared blood supply to the lower lip and chin.
- Lingual Artery: Although the submental artery does not directly anastomose with the lingual artery, its proximity to the floor of the mouth places it near the lingual artery, which supplies the tongue and nearby structures.
Relations with the Floor of the Mouth
The submental artery plays a crucial role in supplying the floor of the mouth through its muscular branches to the mylohyoid muscle. It provides essential blood flow to the soft tissues and muscles that form the floor of the oral cavity, supporting the proper function of these structures during swallowing and speaking.
Cutaneous Supply to the Chin
The submental artery’s cutaneous branches provide blood to the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the chin and lower lip. This blood supply is critical for maintaining the health and integrity of the skin in this region, supporting normal facial expressions and sensory functions.
Termination and Anastomotic Network
The artery terminates near the midline of the chin, where it anastomoses with the inferior labial artery and the contralateral submental artery. These anastomotic connections help ensure a rich blood supply to the chin and lower lip, even if one of the primary arteries becomes compromised. The submental artery’s contribution to this network ensures that the soft tissues and skin of the chin remain well-supplied with oxygenated blood, supporting normal function and healing in this region.
Function
Blood Supply to the Mylohyoid Muscle
The submental artery plays a crucial role in supplying oxygenated blood to the mylohyoid muscle, which forms the floor of the mouth. The mylohyoid muscle is essential for actions such as swallowing and speech, as it provides structural support to the oral cavity and elevates the hyoid bone and tongue during swallowing. By supplying this muscle, the submental artery ensures that it has sufficient oxygen and nutrients to perform these functions efficiently. Without adequate blood flow from the submental artery, the mylohyoid muscle would not be able to maintain its strength and endurance during prolonged periods of activity.
Blood Supply to the Anterior Belly of the Digastric Muscle
Another key function of the submental artery is to supply the anterior belly of the digastric muscle, a small but important muscle involved in the depression of the mandible (lowering of the jaw) and the elevation of the hyoid bone. This muscle plays a vital role in activities such as chewing and speaking. The submental artery delivers the necessary blood supply to support the digastric muscle’s role in jaw movement, ensuring that it receives enough oxygen and nutrients for proper functioning. This blood supply also aids in maintaining the muscle’s endurance during repetitive movements like chewing.
Blood Supply to the Chin and Lower Lip
The submental artery provides a significant portion of the blood supply to the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the chin and lower lip through its cutaneous branches. These branches deliver oxygenated blood to the superficial tissues, helping maintain the health, elasticity, and appearance of the skin. By supplying blood to these regions, the submental artery contributes to the sensation and functionality of the lower lip, particularly during facial expressions and articulation in speech. The artery’s contribution to the skin’s blood supply also ensures that the chin and lower lip can heal efficiently from minor injuries, such as cuts or abrasions.
Contribution to the Floor of the Mouth
The submental artery plays an important role in supplying the floor of the mouth, particularly through its branches that provide blood to the soft tissues and mucous membranes. The floor of the mouth is involved in various oral functions, including supporting the tongue and aiding in saliva secretion from the sublingual and submandibular glands. By supplying blood to this region, the submental artery supports the health and function of these critical tissues. Adequate blood flow from the artery ensures that the mucosa and muscles of the floor of the mouth remain well-nourished, facilitating proper oral functions.
Collateral Circulation and Anastomoses
The submental artery plays a role in collateral circulation within the chin and lower lip region by forming anastomoses with nearby arteries, such as the inferior labial artery (a branch of the facial artery) and the contralateral submental artery. These anastomoses provide alternative routes for blood flow in case of blockage or reduced blood supply from one of the arteries. This redundancy is particularly important in maintaining the vascular integrity of the chin and lower lip, ensuring that these areas receive sufficient blood supply even if one of the arteries becomes compromised. The submental artery’s role in this network helps support the facial structures’ resilience to trauma or vascular complications.
Nutrient Delivery and Waste Removal
As with all arteries, the submental artery is responsible for delivering oxygen, glucose, and nutrients to the tissues it supplies. By ensuring a constant flow of oxygenated blood, the artery helps to sustain the metabolic needs of the muscles, skin, and mucous membranes in the submental region, chin, and floor of the mouth. In addition to nutrient delivery, the artery also plays a vital role in the removal of waste products, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid, from the muscles and surrounding tissues. This exchange of nutrients and waste products is essential for preventing fatigue and ensuring that these tissues remain healthy and functional over time.
Support for Healing and Tissue Repair
The submental artery contributes to healing and tissue repair in the regions it supplies, especially the skin of the chin and the soft tissues of the floor of the mouth. In the event of injury, such as cuts or abrasions, the artery delivers the necessary nutrients and oxygen to support the healing process. The blood supply provided by the submental artery helps to deliver immune cells, growth factors, and other elements needed for tissue regeneration, ensuring a timely and efficient recovery from injury. This function is particularly important for the skin and mucous membranes, which are exposed to constant mechanical and environmental stress.
Blood Supply to Glandular Structures
The submental artery indirectly supports the submandibular gland, one of the major salivary glands responsible for saliva production. By supplying the surrounding muscles and tissues in the floor of the mouth, the artery helps maintain the structural integrity and proper functioning of the salivary glands. The blood flow from the artery ensures that the gland receives sufficient oxygen and nutrients for saliva secretion, which is critical for maintaining oral hygiene, digestion, and moisture balance in the mouth.
Support for Facial Movements and Expressions
By supplying blood to the muscles involved in jaw movement, such as the anterior belly of the digastric muscle, and the skin and soft tissues of the chin and lower lip, the submental artery plays an indirect but vital role in facial expressions and oral movements. These movements are essential for non-verbal communication and for functions like speech, smiling, and chewing. The artery ensures that the muscles and tissues involved in these processes receive the blood supply they need to function efficiently and maintain endurance during repetitive or extended movements.
Thermoregulation
The submental artery also contributes to thermoregulation of the skin and soft tissues in the chin and lower lip regions. Blood flow through the submental artery helps to dissipate heat in warmer environments or during physical exertion, ensuring that the tissues remain at an optimal temperature. Conversely, when exposed to cold temperatures, the artery can reduce blood flow to help conserve body heat. This thermoregulatory function helps maintain overall temperature balance in the facial region, ensuring the comfort and proper function of the skin and muscles in the submental region.
Clinical Significance
The submental artery holds clinical significance due to its role in supplying blood to the chin, floor of the mouth, anterior belly of the digastric muscle, and mylohyoid muscle.
Surgical Considerations
The submental artery is important in oral and maxillofacial surgeries, such as procedures involving the chin (genioplasty) or the floor of the mouth. Surgeons must be aware of its location to avoid excessive bleeding during operations. It is also a key artery in reconstructive surgeries where its branches are used in flap procedures to repair tissue defects in the head and neck region.
Trauma and Injuries
In cases of trauma to the chin or mandibular area, the submental artery can be injured, leading to significant bleeding. Prompt identification and control of this artery are important in managing facial lacerations or fractures in the submental region.
Dental and Orthognathic Surgery
During dental surgeries or orthognathic procedures involving the lower jaw, the submental artery is relevant due to its proximity to the mandible. Care must be taken to avoid damaging the artery during surgical manipulation of the mandible and surrounding tissues.
Aesthetic Procedures
In cosmetic procedures involving the chin, such as dermal fillers or chin augmentation, knowledge of the submental artery’s anatomy is critical to avoid complications like vascular occlusion or skin necrosis.
