ABSTRACT
The parotid duct leaves the anterior edge of the gland, roughly midway between the zygomatic arch and the corner of the mouth. It crosses the medial border of the master muscle, then turns deeply piercing the buccinator muscle entering the mouth near the second upper molar tooth. The parotid gland is the largest of the main salivary glands. It is positioned anterior and inferior to the ear, seated superficially on the ramus of the mandible, wrapping posteriorly and deeply to it. The posterior auricular, maxillary and superficial temporal branches from the external carotid artery supply the gland as they pass through the gland. It drains to the retromandibular vein, which is formed in the substance of the parotid gland by the superficial temporal and maxillary veins. The superficial part has a lateral surface that is grooved posteriorly by the facial artery, which hooks under the mandible to reach the face at the front of the masseter muscle.
