Infraorbital Nerve Damage — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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EasyAnatomy (Head & Neck)Infraorbital Nerve DamageMFDS Part 1

Following unilateral midfacial trauma, a patient has numbness of the ipsilateral upper lip and maxillary incisors and canine. Which nerve is most likely injured?

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Correct answer: D — Infraorbital nerve

The correct answer is D, the infraorbital nerve, a continuation of the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve. Its superior labial branches supply the upper lip, while the anterior superior alveolar branch arises within the infraorbital canal and supplies the maxillary incisors and canine. A sufficiently proximal injury during midfacial trauma can therefore cause both deficits. The mental nerve supplies the lower lip and chin. The buccal nerve supplies the cheek mucosa and buccal gingiva near the mandibular molars, not maxillary tooth pulps. The greater palatine nerve mainly supplies the posterior hard palate, and the lingual nerve supplies general sensation to the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and adjacent mandibular lingual tissues.

Reference: Yao PY, Sequeira Campos MB. Infraorbital Nerve Block, Anatomy and Physiology. Updated 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29763056/