130
Oral Anatomy
SECTION I
Surfaces and Relations
It has four surfaces:
1. Superior
2. Superficial
3. Anteromedial and
4. Posteromedial (Fig. 7.4)
Superior surface
is the base of the pyramid. It is
small, concave and lies close to the external acoustic
meatus and the posterior surface of the temporo-
mandibular joint.
Superficial surface
faces the skin and is covered
by (a) skin, (b) superficial fascia containing the su-
perficial parotid lymph nodes and posterior fibres of
platysma, (c) parotid fascia and (d) few deep parotid
lymph nodes within the gland.
Anteromedial surface
lies against the posterior
border of ramus. The structures associated with this
surface are masseter, medial pterygoid and emerging
branches of facial nerve (Fig. 7.4).
Posteromedial surface
is adapted to the mastoid
and styloid processes and the structures attached to
them.
Figure 7.3
Parotid gland: (a) dissected specimen and (b) schematic diagram.
External auditory meatus
Parotid
Mastoid
Sternomastoid
Parotid duct
Masseter
Buccinator
Lower border
of mandible
Parotid gland
Parotid duct
Facial artery
Sternomastoid
(a)
(b)
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