Salivary glands (English)

The parotid gland is the largest of the major salivary glands, located superficially in the front of the ear (preauricular region). It is shaped like an inverted pyramid and enclosed in a fibrous capsule. A number of important neurovascular structures traverse the parotid gland including the external carotid artery, retromandibular vein and facial nerve. The secreted content of the parotid gland gets released through the parotid duct (Stensen’s duct) whose orifice can be seen on the buccal wall at the level of the maxillary second molar. The submandibular gland is the second largest salivary gland, located inferior and deep to the ramus of the mandible in the submandibular triangle of the neck (a.k.a. digastric triangle). This gland produces the largest amount of saliva that gets excreted through the submandibular duct (of Wharton) which opens at the sublingual papilla under the tongue. The sublingual gland is an almond-shaped gland and is the smallest of the major salivary glands. It lies on the mylohyoid muscle and is covered by the mucosa of the floor of the mouth, which is raised as a sublingual fold. It has several ductal openings that run along the sublingual folds: a major sublingual duct (of Bartholin) and as many as 20 minor sublingual ducts (of Rivinius).