common carotid arteries

common carotid artery terminal branches

internal carotid artery, external carotid artery

how many branches in the external carotid artery

8

anterior branches

superior thyroid a, lingual a, facial a

medial branch

ascending pharyngeal a

posterior branch

occipital a, posterior auricular a

terminal branches

maxillary a, superficial temporal a

superior thyroid a (anterior)

external laryngeal n

lingual a (anterior)

passes deep to hypoglossus m. to supply tongue

facial a (anterior)

passes deep to submandibular gland then curls superficially over mandible to supply face

ascending pharyngeal a (medial)

lies on wall of pharynx

occipital a (posterior)

hooks over hypoglossal n superficially, travels with greater occipital n

posterior auricular a (posterior)

small, travels between ear and mastoid process

maxillary a (terminal)

passes deep to mandible to enter deep face

superficial temporal a (terminal)

travels with auriculotemporal n anterior to ear