Lingual nerve

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Description:

The lingual nerve is a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. It branches from the trigeminal nerve in the infratemporal region. The chorda tympani branch of the facial nerve joins the lingual in this region. The nerve descends lateral to the tongue and medial to the mandible. It forms connections with the submandibular ganglion and sends fibers into the tongue and mucosal tissues of the floor of the mouth and gums. This is the sensory nerve for the mucosal lining in the floor of the mouth and for the presulcal tongue. It also carries preganglionic parasympathetic neurons to the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands from the chorda tympani and carries taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue back to the chorda tympani nerve.