Trigeminal nerve

The trigeminal nerve is the fifth (V) cranial nerve, so named because it splits into three nerves - the Opthalmic 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 carries 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[?].

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

Opthalmic 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[?]