Arterial Distribution in the Region of the Floor of the Mouth of the Rat by Plastic Injection Method
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Okajimas Folia Anat. Jpn., 56(1) : 45-66, May 1979 Arterial Distribution in the Region of the Floor of the Mouth of the Rat by Plastic Injection Method By HARUYOSHI OTSUKA The 2nd Department of Oral Anatomy, Josai Dental University, Sakado, Saitama 350-02, Japan (Director : Professor H. Hanai) (With one table, two textfigures and 16 figures in 4 plates) -Received for Publication, November 1, 1978- Key Words : Floor of mouth, Artery, Corrosion cast, Comparative anatomy Summary. The arterial distributions in the region of the floor of the mouth in the rat were studied by means of the acryl plastic injection method. 1. The region and its related tissues were supplied mainly by branches of the sub- lingual artery of the facial, and partly by branches of the tonsillar of the facial and branches of the ascending palatine of the lingual. 2. Branches of the sublingual artery were the submandibular lymph node branch, the muscular branches, the submental branch, the mandibular transversal branches, the mucous branch, the genioglossal branches, the preincisive branch, the retroincisive branch and the alveolar branch. 3. Branches of the tonsillar artery were the mucous branch and the mylohyoid branches. 4. A forward branch and small twigs of the ascending palatine were distributed to the posterior small part of the region. 5. Between the above-mentioned branches and the lingual artery, any marked anastomoses were not observed. Preface structed, and that, therefore, the sufficient observation has been difficult by using It is very important to survey the the common dissection method. arterial distribution in the oral region in This paper was undertaken to reveal the rat since this animal is the most the detailed arterial distribution and commonly used in many kinds of ramification of the distributing arteries medico-dental research. Nevertheless, in the region of the floor of the mouth little has been reported on the subject. and its related tissues (except the This may be due to that the arterial tongue) in the rat, using the acryl plastic branches in the region are much smaller corrosion method. and every organs are intricately con- 45 46 H. Otsuka between the mylohyoid and the digastric Materials and Methods where it turns the direction horizontally. 50 adult rats were used for this study. It next proceeds forward about 4 mm They were injected with colored acryl beneath the mylohyoid onto the mandi- plastic through the aorta into the arterial bular transversal (Greene) beyond the system of the head by the plastic injection anterior end of the mylohyoid, crossing method of Taniguchi et al. ('52, '55) after the digastric branch of the mylohyoid exsanguination. Most of the injected nerve lateral to it. The artery passes heads were macerated in 20% NaOH further about 3 mm long over the man- solution to make corrosion casts, and dibular transversal lateral to the genio- some of them were embalmed in 10% hyoid and reaches inferior to the posterior formalin for dissection. The observation end of a crista (incisive ridge) which was made under the binocular magnifier. lies near the anterior end of the supero- medial edge of the mandibular body Observations between the originating tendon of the geniohyoid and the inner surface of the The region of the floor of the mouth mandible to become three kinds of and its related tissues are supplied mainly termini. by branches of the sublingual artery of The terminal branches are as follows : the facial, and partly by branches of the (a) Preincisive branch—Passing for- tonsillar of the facial and branches of ward or forward and downward the ascending palatine of the lingual. through the lower part of the The facial artery (Fig. 2), after its symphysis and emerging in front origin from the external carotid, runs of the lower incisors. anteroinferiorly first medial to the (b) Retroincisive branch — Ascending mandibular angle and then between the posterior to the symphysis and masseter muscle and the digastric. It emerging into the gingiva behind comes next to the level of the lower the lower incisors. border of the anterior superficial part (c) Alveolar branch—Entering a for- (Greene '68) of the masseter where it amen on the inner surface. of the swings anterosuperiorly showing a down- jaw near the posterior end of the ward arch. The artery emerges lateral incisive ridge, not reaching the to the mandibular body across the incisive portion. inferior margin of the mandible obli- (a) and (b) are commonly unilaterally quely to continue onto the face. observed either on the right or left, but (c) bilaterally. In cases in which both I. Sublingual artery of the facial of (a) and (b) exist on the same side, (c) The artery (0.30-0.45, M. 0.39 mm) is observed commonly as a branch of (Figs. 2-4) originates forward and supero- (a) or leaves posterior to the divergency medially from the superior or superomedi- from the sublingual (Fig. 5). These al wall of the facial between the lower three termini are observed in type of surfaces of the anterior superficial part several combinations in every individuals. of the masseter and of the digastric Accordingly, the following 5 types about 9 mm distal to its origin. (Type I-V) are recognized (Fig. 1). The artery passes first forward and As shown in the table, the cases in superomedially about 4 mm long between which left sublingual divides into the both muscles mentioned above and comes preincisive and retroincisive branches Arterial Distribution in Mouth Flood of Rats 47 account for 56% totally. The cases in 1. Submandibular lymph node branch (R. which the left sublingual extends as the ln. submandibularis) retroincisiue branch far to the incisive The branch (0.20-0.35, M. 0.28 mm) (figs. region are observed in 70%, being 2, 7) is the largest among branches of nearly twice more than the cases in the sublingual and is observed in 72 which the right sublingual does so. The cases of 100 halves of all examples ob- fact suggests that the sublingual artery served. The branch arises from the of the rat on the left side is much inferior or inferomedial wall of the stronger and has a wider supplying sublingual within 1.5 mm from its origin territory than that on the right side. and runs backward along the inferopo- sterior border of the masseter, crossing medial to the facial artery, to be dis- tributed to the submandibular lymph nodes. It extends backward far to the major sublingual and parotid glands to supply part of each gland. 2. Muscular branches (Rr. musculares) They (0.10-0.25, M, 0.14 mm) (figs. 2, 3, 8), 3 or 4 in number, leave the sublingual as it travels inferior to the mylohyoid muscle. They are divided into two groups. One of them consists of 1 or 2 lateral branches which run superolaterally beneath the mylohyoid and are distributed to the lower half to third of the muscle and the middle part of the geniohyoid. The other group consists of 1 or 2 medial branches which run medially or anteromedially between the digastric ( a ) Preincisive branch and the mylohyoid and are distributed ( b ) Retroincisive branch to the anterior and middle part of the ( c ) Alveolar branch digastric and the inferomedial part of the mylohyoid. When well-developed, Table. Frequencies of appearence the branches extend as far as the of the types. mandibular transversal muscle to supply it. 3. Submental branch (R. submentalis) The branch (0.10-0.25, M. 0.20 mm) (figs. 2, 10) exists unilaterally either on the right or left side, that is, on the left in 27 cases of 50 examples observed, on the right in 20 cases. In remaining 3 cases the branch originates bilaterally and The sublingual sends the following joins each other in the median where branches in its course. one branch originates T-shapedly for- 48 H. Otsuka Fig. 1. Schematic illustration of patterns of the terminal branches of the sublingual artery. Arterial Distribution in Mouth Floor of Rats 49 ward as the submental branch. The sublingual 1-2 mm distal to the origin branch arises from the medial wall of of the submental branch opposite the the sublingual 4-6 mm distal to its origin. anterior border of the mylohyoid. After After passing once medially or antero- the origin, they pass forward through medially between the anterior belly of the origin of the mandibular transversal the digastric and the mylohyoid as far muscle, giving several twigs to the as the anterior border of the latter, the muscle. The branches extend anteriorly branch descends vertically in the median as far as adjacent to the mental symphysis between the anterior bellies of the to supply the periosteum and the muscles digastric on both sides and emerges into in this portion. The branches release the subcutis through the platysma. additionally 2 or 3 twigs. They enter Next it proceeds forward tortuously in nutrient foramina located in a fossa for the subcutis to the chin, giving twigs the origin of the mandibular transversal to the area, to supply the skin and the muscle and bore the alveolar wall of the platysma in the submental region. The lower incisor to join the periodontal branch anastornoses with branches of the plexus (Boyer '62) which is formed inferior labial adjacent to the lower mainly by the peripheries of the inferior border of the mandible or the chin. In alveolar (fig. 9). Sometimes these twigs 2 cases of all examples observed the arise independently from the sublingual. branch is well-developed and compensates for the preincisive branch which is weak 5. Mucous branch (R.