Zygomatic nerve

The zygomatic nerve ( zygomatic bone " cheek bone ") is a branch of the maxillary nerve, which in turn is a branch of the fifth cranial nerve ( trigeminal nerve ) is. It supplies the sensitive skin of the temporal region, the zygomatic arch and the eyelids.

The zygomatic nerve branches in the pterygopalatine fossa from the maxillary nerve from, pulls through the inferior orbital fissure into the orbit and where it divides into the ulnar nerve zygomaticotemporalis and zygomaticofacialis. At the pterygopalatine ganglion of the originally purely sensory nerve receives postganglionic parasympathetic fibers that originally come from the seventh cranial nerve, and it passes through a connecting branch to the lacrimal nerve.

In ruminants, the nerve gives off the zygomatic a branch ( ramus cornualis ) to the horn. This supplies the sensitive skin of the horn pin and must be anesthetized for dehorning.

The zygomatic nerve should not be confused with the Rami zygomatici of the parotid plexus.