Infraorbital Nerve — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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EasyAnatomy (Head & Neck)Infraorbital NerveMFDS Part 1

A terminal continuation of the maxillary nerve traverses the floor of the orbit in a canal and then emerges onto the anterior surface of the maxilla to supply the lower eyelid, lateral aspect of the nose and upper lip. Through which opening does it emerge onto the face?

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Correct answer: A — Infraorbital foramen

The correct answer is A, the infraorbital foramen. The described nerve is the infraorbital nerve, the terminal continuation of the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve (V2). It traverses the infraorbital groove and canal before emerging through the infraorbital foramen to supply the lower eyelid, lateral nose, cheek and upper lip. Foramen rotundum transmits the proximal maxillary nerve from the middle cranial fossa into the pterygopalatine fossa, rather than transmitting the infraorbital nerve onto the face. The mental foramen transmits the mental nerve to the lower lip and chin; the supraorbital foramen transmits the supraorbital nerve to the forehead; and the greater palatine foramen transmits the greater palatine neurovascular bundle to the hard palate.

Reference: Özşahin E et al. A Three-Dimensional Morphometric Analysis of the Infraorbitale Foramen. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40138580/