Parotid plexus

The parotid plexus (lat. Plexus “braid”, glandula parotidea parotis “ parotid gland ”) is a plexus of nerves of the seventh cranial nerve , facial nerve , located between two lobes of the parotid gland , which mainly contains motor fibers for the facial muscles . The plexus is divided into the following terminal branches (Latin Rami ):

• Rami temporal : innervate the orbicularis oculi , procerus muscle and Musculi epicranii
• Rami zygomatici : innervate orbicularis oculi muscle (lateral part), musculus zygomaticus major , zygomaticus major muscle minor , nasalis muscle , procerus muscle, depressor septi nasi muscle , the levator anguli oris , levator labii superioris and with the buccinator muscle
• Rami buccales: innervate musculus buccinator, musculus nasalis, musculus depressor septi nasi, musculus levator angulis oris, musculus depressor anguli oris , musculus risorius
• Ramus marginalis mandibulae : pulls towards the chin and supplies the mimic muscles below the mouth
• Ramus colli : innervates the platysma , anastomized with the nervus transversus colli of the cervical plexus ( plexus cervicalis )