infraorbital nerve

anatomy

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

The infraorbital nerve is a branch of the maxillary nerve, which is one of the three major divisions of the trigeminal nerve (CN V). The trigeminal nerve is the largest cranial nerve and has both sensory and motor functions. The maxillary nerve specifically carries sensory information from the face.12

The infraorbital nerve emerges from the infraorbital foramen, located below the lower margin of the eye socket. It innervates the upper lip, the lateral surfaces of the nose, the lower eyelid, the conjunctiva, and the skin on the cheek and side of the head behind the eye.31

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

human nervous system
Maxillary nerve
…soft palate, and (4) the infraorbital, zygomaticotemporal, and zygomaticofacial nerves, serving the upper lip, the lateral surfaces of the nose, the lower eyelid and conjunctiva, and the skin on the cheek and the side of the head behind the eye.
Read More
…soft palate, and (4) the infraorbital, zygomaticotemporal, and zygomaticofacial nerves, serving the upper lip, the lateral surfaces of the nose, the lower eyelid and conjunctiva, and the skin on the cheek and the side of the head behind the eye.
Read More