---
title: "Anatomy of Submandibular and Sublingual Glands"
description: "ENT notes on the parts, relations, lobes, nerve supply, blood supply, and lymphatic drainage of the Submandibular and Sublingual Glands."
source: "The ENT Resident"
author: "Dr. Mausumi Das"
canonical_url: "https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/submandibular-sublingual-gland-anatomy"
categories: ["Oral Cavity and Salivary Glands"]
video: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1AULE5m0E0"
image: "https://media.theentresident.com/og-images/submandibular-sublingual-gland-anatomy.png"
---

# Anatomy of Submandibular and Sublingual Glands

ENT notes on the parts, relations, lobes, nerve supply, blood supply, and lymphatic drainage of the Submandibular and Sublingual Glands. Watch the full video lecture on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1AULE5m0E0

## 🦷 Submandibular & Sublingual Glands - Anatomy, Relations & Clinical Points

**Submandibular gland** and **sublingual gland** are two of the three paired major salivary glands (parotid, submandibular, sublingual).  

- **Submandibular** = 2nd largest, walnut-shaped. Weight ~ **7–14 g**.  

- **Sublingual** = smallest, almond-shaped. Weight ~ **3–4 g**.

>What type of gland are submandibular and sublingual glands? What type of acini is found in each?

---

### 🗺️ Anatomy of Submandibular Gland

### 📍 Location of Submandibular Gland
- Located in the **submandibular triangle**.

- Gland has **superficial** and **deep** parts which are continuous around the **posterior border of mylohyoid**.

>What are the boundaries of submandibular triangle?

---

### 🧱 Parts & Capsule of Submandibular Gland

- **Superficial part** (most visible externally) — partly enclosed by a capsule derived from the **investing layer of deep cervical fascia** (splits into superficial and deep lamina at greater cornu of hyoid).  
 
- **Deep part** lies deep to mylohyoid, extends forward between mylohyoid and hyoglossus up to posterior sublingual gland.

>What are the attachments of submandibular gland capsule?

---

### 🔍 Parts and Relations of Submandibular Gland

**1- Superficial Part of Submandibular Gland**

- **Anterior end:** reaches anterior belly of digastric.  
- **Posterior end:** up to stylomandibular ligament (separates it from parotid). Groove for ascending limb of facial artery’s cervical loop.

**Three surfaces (Superficial part)**  

1. **Inferior (superficial) surface** — from superficial → deep: skin → superficial fascia (platysma + cervical branch of facial nerve) → deep fascia → facial vein → submandibular lymph nodes.  

2. **Lateral surface** — related to submandibular fossa of mandible, medial pterygoid near insertion, **facial artery** (loops between bone and gland then winds around mandible).  

3. **Medial surface** — extensive; subdivided:
   - **Anterior medial:** mylohyoid, submental branch of facial artery, mylohyoid nerve/vessels.  
   - **Middle medial:** hyoglossus, styloglossus, **lingual nerve**, **hypoglossal nerve**, **submandibular ganglion**.  
   - **Posterior medial:** styloglossus, stylopharyngeus, glossopharyngeal nerve, posterior belly digastric, superior pharyngeal constrictor (lateral pharyngeal wall), lingual & hypoglossal relations, 1st part of lingual artery.

**2- Deep part relations**  

- Lateral: mylohyoid.  
- Medial: hyoglossus.  
- Superior: lingual nerve and submandibular ganglion.  
- Inferior: hypoglossal nerve with veins.

>How do you bimanually palpate the submandibular gland and why?

>How to differentiate between a swelling of submandibular gland vs swelling of submandibular lymph node?

---

### 🧭 Submandibular (Wharton’s) Duct

- **Length:** ~5 cm.  

- **Origin:** from middle of deep surface of superficial part; appears at anterior end of deep part.  

- **Course:** runs forward on **hyoglossus** between **lingual nerve** and **hypoglossal nerve** (lingual nerve loops under the duct), then continues between sublingual gland & genioglossus → opens at **sublingual papilla** on each side of frenulum linguae.  

>Describe the relation of the lingual nerve to the submandibular duct.

---

### 🩸 Blood Supply & Lymphatic Supply of Submandibular Gland

- **Arterial:** Sublingual & submental arteries (branches of facial / lingual systems).  

- **Venous:** Correspond to arteries → drain into internal jugular.  

- **Lymphatics:** Submandibular nodes → jugulodigastric deep cervical nodes.

---

### 🧠 Nerve Supply of Submandibular Gland

- Parasympathetic (secretomotor — watery)
- Sympathetic (viscous secretion + vasomotor): Postganglionic fibres from **superior cervical ganglion** via plexus on facial artery.  
- Sensory: Lingual nerve.

>What is the pathway of parasympathetic innervation of Submandibular gland?

---

### 🪴 Anatomy of Sublingual Gland

### 📍 Location & Appearance of Sublingual Gland

- Lies in the **floor of mouth**, between mucous membrane and mylohyoid, in the **sublingual fossa** of mandible (above anterior mylohyoid line). 

- **Almond-shaped**, **mucous** acini, ~3–4 g.

---

### 🔁 Relations of Sublingual Gland

- **Anterior:** meets opposite sublingual gland near midline (symphysis menti).  
- **Posterior:** deep part of submandibular gland.  
- **Superior:** oral mucosa forming **sublingual fold**.  
- **Inferior:** mylohyoid muscle.  
- **Lateral:** sublingual fossa of mandible.  
- **Medial:** genioglossus (separated by submandibular duct & lingual nerve).

---

### 🧩 Sublingual Ducts

- **Multiple small ducts (8–20)** — **ducts of Rivinus** open individually into floor of mouth on sublingual fold.  

- Anterior group of ducts may unite to form **Bartholin’s (sublingual) duct**, which typically opens into the submandibular (Wharton’s) duct.

---

### 🩸Blood Supply, Lymphatic Drainage & Nerve Supply of Sublingual Gland

- **Arterial:** Sublingual & submental arteries.  

- **Venous:** Veins to internal jugular.  

- **Lymph:** Submental & submandibular nodes.  

- **Nerve supply:** Same pattern as submandibular

>How does parasympathetic innervation to sublingual differ from submandibular?

>What is Ranula?
---

## 📝 Summary table (very high-yield)

| Feature | Submandibular | Sublingual |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Type of secretion | Mixed (serous + mucous) | Mucous |
| Parts | Superficial + deep | Single lobulated |
| Duct | Wharton's (opens at sublingual papilla) | Many (Rivinus); Bartholin's may join Wharton's |
| Stone risk | **High** (most common) | Low |
| Important relation | **Lingual nerve loops under duct** | Lies medial to genioglossus; drains to floor mucosa |
| Clinical lesion | Sialolithiasis, sialadenitis | Ranula (mucous retention cyst) |

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## About This Note

This free ENT note on Anatomy of Submandibular and Sublingual Glands was written by Dr. Mausumi Das and is paired with a corresponding video lecture.

Canonical page of this note: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/submandibular-sublingual-gland-anatomy

When citing or referencing this content, please credit The ENT Resident and link to the canonical page above.

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