Lateral pterygoid nerve

The lateral pterygoid nerve (or external pterygoid nerve) is a branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve.^[1] It usually originates as two separate branches that travel near the buccal nerve, and enter the deep surfaces of the superior and inferior heads of the lateral pterygoid muscle.^[2]

Lateral pterygoid nerve
Distribution of the maxillary and mandibular nerves, and the submaxillary ganglion.
Details
From	Anterior division of mandibular nerve
Innervates	Lateral pterygoid muscle
Identifiers
Latin	nervus pterygoideus externus nervus pterygoideus lateralis
TA98	A14.2.01.072
TA2	6257
FMA	53107
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy [edit on Wikidata]

Nerve pathway

• trigeminal nerve (CN V)
• mandibular nerve (V3)
• anterior division of mandibular nerve

Variation

Some authors describe the lateral pterygoid nerve as a single branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve which then bifurcates to enter the two heads of the lateral pterygoid muscle.