Trigeminal nerve

The trigeminal nerve is the fifth (V) cranial nerve, so named because it splits into three nerves - the Ophthalmic nerve (V₁), the Maxillary nerve (V₂) and the Mandibular nerve (V₃).

It is the major cutaneous sensory nerve of the head, and is responsible for sensation over most of the skin on your head. It also supplies motor fibres to temporalis muscle, lateral pterygoid muscle, medial pterygoid muscle, masseter muscle (the four main muscles involved in mastication), tensor veli palatini, mylohyoid muscle and the tensor tympani muscle.

Trigeminal neuralgia is an example of a disorder of the trigeminal nerve where the sufferer suffers pain in the territory of the trigeminal nerve innervation.

Named branches of the trigeminal nerve: (important branches in bold)

Ophthalmic nerve (V₁)

• Nasociliary nerve
  • sensory root of ciliary ganglion
  • posterior ethmodial nerve
  • long ciliary nerve
  • infrathrochlear nerve
  • anterior ethmoidal nerve
• lacrimal nerve
• frontal nerve
  • supratrochlear nerve
  • supraorbital nerve

Maxillary nerve (V₂)

• zygomaticotemporal nerve
• zygomaticofacial nerve
• infraorbital nerve
• superior alveolar nerves
• Pterygopalatine ganglion
  • nasopalatine nerve
  • greater palatine nerve
  • lesser palatine nerves
  • nerve of pterygoid canal (Vidian nerve)

Mandibular nerve (V₃)

• deep temporal nerves (to temporalis muscle)
• lateral pterygoid nerve
• medial pterygoid nerve
• masseteric nerve
• tensor veli palatini nerve
• tensor tempani nerve
• auriculotemporal nerve
• buccal nerve
• Lingual nerve
• Inferior alveolar nerve
  • mylohyoid nerve
  • inferior dental plexus
  • mental nerve