Quick Facts
Location: below the lingual nerve deep to the mylohyoid muscle.
Branches: None.
Supply: Postganglionic parasympathetic fibers for the submandibular gland, sublingual gland, and oral mucosa.
Location
The submandibular ganglion sits just inferior to the lingual nerve, to which it is connected by several small filaments of axons. It is located deep to the mylohyoid muscle and on the lateral surface of the hyoglossus muscle. The submandibular ganglion originates from the neural crest.
Branches
The submandibular ganglion is the location of postganglionic parasympathetic neuronal cell bodies with which CN VII preganglionic parasympathetic axons, traveling first in the chorda tympani and then lingual nerve, synapse. It often has two or more small connections with the lingual nerve. These are axons traveling to or from the ganglion. Additional fibers traveling directly to adjacent portions of the submandibular gland are also present.
Supplied Structures
The submandibular ganglion targets the submandibular gland, sublingual gland, and oral mucosa.
