AnatomyApproximately 1.5 L/day of saliva is produced by three pairs of major salivary glands:
The parotid glands lie below the external auditory meatus, between the vertical ramus of the mandible and the mastoid process. The parotid duct crosses the masseter and opens via a small papilla on the buccal membrane opposite the crown of the second upper molar. The parotid gland has an intimate relationship with the facial nerve, which subdivides into its branches as it passes through the parotid.
The submandibular glands are walnut-sized paired structures, lying beneath and in front of the angle of the jaw, wrapping around the posterior edge of the mylohyoid muscle. Their ducts emerge to the floor of the mouth just lateral to the frenulum of the tongue.
The sublingual glands lie below the tongue and open through several ducts to the floor of the mouth.
There are also a large number (600-1,000) of minor salivary glands widely distributed throughout the oral mucosa, palate, uvula, floor of the mouth, posterior tongue, retromolar and peritonsillar area, pharynx, larynx and paranasal sinuses.
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