Infraorbital Nerve

Description

Arising as the terminal branch of the maxillary nerve (CN V2), the infraorbital nerve courses anteriorly along the floor of the orbit in the infraorbital groove and canal, then emerges inferior to the orbital rim through the infraorbital foramen of the maxilla. From that exit point, fine cutaneous branches spread inferiorly and medially across the anterior cheek toward the lateral nose and superiorly toward the lower eyelid, while other filaments run inferiorly toward the upper lip. Surrounding landmarks expected in this skull-based view include the orbital aperture, piriform aperture, maxillary dentition and anterior alveolar process, with nasal and auricular cartilages rendered separately from bone. Yellow nerve trajectories contrast against the craniofacial skeleton. For regional anesthesia, this is the nerve you target. An infraorbital nerve block, placed at or just before the infraorbital foramen, produces analgesia of the lower eyelid, lateral nasal ala, cheek, and upper lip, and it is routinely used for laceration repair and procedures on the midface without distorting the operative field. The same anatomic corridor becomes clinically relevant in midface fractures and orbital floor (blowout) injuries, where V2 neuropraxia can present as numbness of the upper lip and cheek, and in Caldwell-Luc or endoscopic maxillary sinus approaches where the infraorbital canal limits dissection. Teaching suites can use this plate to orient learners to the trigeminal sensory map of the face and to link bony foramina with named neurovascular bundles, alongside the infraorbital artery and vein if added in accompanying material. It also fits well in surgical anatomy chapters for maxillofacial trauma, local anesthetic technique manuals, and radiology primers correlating infraorbital canal position on CT with expected sensory deficits. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.