Superficial temporal artery

Superficial temporal artery
	Outline of side of face, showing chief surface markings. (Superficial temporal a. visible at center, to left of ear.)
	Superficial dissection of the right side of the neck, showing the carotid and subclavian arteries.
Details
Latin	arteria temporalis superficialis
Source	External carotid artery
Branches	Transverse facial artery; Middle temporal artery; Anterior auricular branch; frontal branch; parietal branch
Vein	superficial temporal vein
Supplies	temple, scalp
Identifiers
Dorlands; /Elsevier	a_61/12156279
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TH	{{#property:P1694}}
TE	{{#property:P1693}}
FMA	{{#property:P1402}}
	Anatomical terminology; [[[d:Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 863: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).\|edit on Wikidata]]]

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In human anatomy, the superficial temporal artery is a major artery of the head. It arises from the external carotid artery when it bifurcates into the superficial temporal artery and maxillary artery.

Its pulse is palpable superior to the zygomatic arch, anterior and superior to the tragus.

Course

The superficial temporal artery is the smaller of two terminal branches that bifurcate superiorly from the external carotid. Based on its direction, the superficial temporal artery appears to be a continuation of the external carotid.

It begins in the substance of the parotid gland, behind the neck of the mandible, and passes superficially over the posterior root of the zygomatic process of the temporal bone; about 5 cm. above this process it divides into two branches, a frontal and a parietal.

Relations

As it crosses the zygomatic process, it is covered by the Auricularis anterior muscle, and by a dense fascia; it is crossed by the temporal and zygomatic branches of the facial nerve and one or two veins, and is accompanied by the auriculotemporal nerve, which lies immediately behind it.

The superficial temporal artery anastomoses with (among others) the supraorbital artery of the internal carotid artery.