Pterygomaxillary fissure
Encyclopedia
The pterygomaxillary fissure is a fissure of the human skull
. It is vertical, and descends at right angles from the medial end of the inferior orbital fissure
; it is a triangular interval, formed by the divergence of the maxilla
from the pterygoid process of the sphenoid
.
It connects the infratemporal with the pterygopalatine fossa
, and transmits the terminal part of the maxillary artery. Alveolar branches of the maxillary nerve go from the pterygopalatine fossa to the infratemporal region via this fissure.
In older texts, the pterygomaxillary fissure is sometimes called the pterygopalatine fissure.
Human skull
The human skull is a bony structure, skeleton, that is in the human head and which supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.In humans, the adult skull is normally made up of 22 bones...
. It is vertical, and descends at right angles from the medial end of the inferior orbital fissure
Inferior orbital fissure
Not to be confused with the infraorbital groove, infraorbital canal, and infraorbital foramen.The lateral wall and the floor of the orbit are separated posteriorly by the inferior orbital fissure which transmits the maxillary nerve and its zygomatic branch, and the ascending branches from the...
; it is a triangular interval, formed by the divergence of the maxilla
Maxilla
The maxilla is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper jaw. This is similar to the mandible , which is also a fusion of two halves at the mental symphysis. Sometimes The maxilla (plural: maxillae) is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper...
from the pterygoid process of the sphenoid
Sphenoid bone
The sphenoid bone is an unpaired bone situated at the base of the skull in front of the temporal bone and basilar part of the occipital bone.The sphenoid bone is one of the seven bones that articulate to form the orbit...
.
It connects the infratemporal with the pterygopalatine fossa
Pterygopalatine fossa
The pterygopalatine fossa is a fossa in the skull. It is the indented area medial to the pterygomaxillary fissure leading into the sphenopalatine foramen.-Boundaries:It has the following boundaries:...
, and transmits the terminal part of the maxillary artery. Alveolar branches of the maxillary nerve go from the pterygopalatine fossa to the infratemporal region via this fissure.
In older texts, the pterygomaxillary fissure is sometimes called the pterygopalatine fissure.