title: Lingual nerve entrapment in muscular and osseous structures.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. mapian@med.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piagkou
authors.forename: Theano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Demesticha
authors.forename: Giannoulis
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piagkos
authors.forename: Androutsos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Georgios
authors.forename: Skandalakis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panagiotis
mesh_terms: D035301:Cranial Fossa, Middle; D054085:Foramen Ovale / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000473:pathology*; D008036:Lingual Nerve / Q000473:pathology*; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic / Q000473:pathology; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000209:etiology; D011626:Pterygoid Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000473:pathology*; D014059:Tongue / Q000294:innervation