Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Int J Oral Sci. 2010 Dec;2(4):181-9. doi: 10.4248/IJOS10063.
Running through the infratemporal fossa is the lingual nerve (i.e. the third branch of the posterior trunk of the mandibular nerve). Due to its location, there are various anatomic structures that might entrap and potentially compress the lingual nerve. These anatomical sites of entrapment are: (a) the partially or completely ossified pterygospinous or pterygoalar ligaments; (b) the large lamina of the lateral plate of the pterygoid process; and (c) the medial fibers of the anterior region of the lateral pterygoid muscle. Due to the connection between these nerve and anatomic structures, a contraction of the lateral pterygoid muscle, for example, might cause a compression of the lingual nerve. Any variations in the course of the lingual nerve can be of clinical significance to surgeons and neurologists because of the significant complications that might occur. To name a few of such complications, lingual nerve entrapment can lead to: (a) numbness, hypoesthesia or even anesthesia of the tongue's mucous glands; (b) anesthesia and loss of taste in the anterior two-thirds of the tongue; (c) anesthesia of the lingual gums; and (d) pain related to speech articulation disorder. Dentists should, therefore, be alert to possible signs of neurovascular compression in regions where the lingual nerve is distributed.
穿过颞下窝的是舌神经(即下颌神经后干的第三分支)。由于其位置,有各种解剖结构可能会夹住并潜在地压迫舌神经。这些解剖部位的压迫包括:(a)部分或完全骨化的翼钩或翼突韧带;(b)翼状突外侧板的大翼板;和(c)翼外肌前区的内侧纤维。由于这些神经和解剖结构的连接,例如翼外肌的收缩可能会导致舌神经受压。舌神经的任何变化都可能对外科医生和神经科医生具有临床意义,因为可能会出现严重的并发症。仅举几个这样的并发症,舌神经受压可能导致:(a)舌黏膜腺体的麻木、感觉减退甚至麻醉;(b)舌前 2/3 的麻醉和味觉丧失;(c)舌龈的麻醉;和(d)与言语发音障碍相关的疼痛。因此,牙医应该警惕在舌神经分布区域可能出现的神经血管压迫的迹象。