Mandibular nerve (zoomed in) (English)

The mandibular nerve arises from the anterior portion of the trigeminal ganglion. Accompanied by the motor root of the trigeminal nerve, it exits the skull through the foramen ovale and enters the infratemporal fossa. At this point, the motor root unites with the mandibular nerve, making it a mixed nerve. Within the infratemporal fossa the mandibular trunk immediately gives off two branches: a meningeal branch which ascends through the foramen spinosum to supply dura of the middle cranial fossa and a nerve to medial pterygoid muscle which passes through the otic ganglion (not shown) to supply the medial pterygoid, tensor veli palatini, and tensor tympani muscles. The mandibular nerve then splits into anterior and posterior divisions. The anterior division passes efferent (motor) fibres to the masseteric nerve, deep temporal nerves and nerve to lateral pterygoid and receives afferent (sensory) fibres from the buccal nerve which supplies the skin over the cheek.