THE EXTRA-OSSEOUS INNERVATION OF THE GINGIVAE

¹ Department of Anatomy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Inasmuch as there is lack of agreement in standard textbooks of human anatomy as to which nerves innervate the supporting structures of teeth, especially the gingivae, the present study was undertaken to determine by means of gross dissection the extra-osseous nerve supply of the maxillary and mandibular gingivae.

By extra-osseous nerves is meant those nerves situated on the buccolabial and palatolingual aspects of the maxilla and mandible as opposed to the alveolar (dental) nerves which are (intra-osseous) within the bodies of these bones.

The nerves involved were found to be the nasopalatine and greater (anterior) palatine to the palatal gingiva of the maxillary teeth, the infraorbital to the labial gingiva of the maxillary incisors and canines, the posterior superior alveolar (dental) to the buccal gingiva of the maxillary molars and premolars, the lingual to the lingual gingiva of the mandibular teeth, the mental to the labial gingiva of the mandibular incisors, and canine and the long buccal to the gingiva of the mandibular molars and premolars.