Superficial temporal artery
Arteria temporalis superficialis
Definition
The superficial temporal artery the smaller of the two terminal branches of the external carotid, appears, from its direction, to be the continuation of that vessel. It begins in the substance of the parotid gland, behind the neck of the mandible, and corsses over the posterior root of the zygomatic process of the temporal bone; about 5 cm. above this process it divides into two branches, a frontal and a parietal.
As it crosses the zygomatic process, it is covered by the Auricularis anterior muscle, and by a dense fascia; it is crossed by the temporal and zygomatic branches of the facial nerve and one or two veins, and is accompanied by the auriculotemporal nerve, which lies immediately behind it.
Besides some twigs to the parotid gland, to the temporomandibular joint, and to the Masseter muscle, its branches are:
- Transverse Facial
- Middle Temporal
- Anterior Auricular
- Frontal
- Parietal
