New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Methods of the Salivary Glands’ Pathology

The salivary glands may be classified from three aspects: size: large and small (or accessory) salivary glands; the position of the efferent outlet: outside or within the dental arch; the character of the secretion produced: serous or mucinous. When the classification is made on the above basis, the large salivary glands are as follows: the parotid gland, which is situated outside the dental arch and whose secretion is serous; the submandibular gland, which is situated within the dental arch and whose secretion is mixed (but mainly serous); the sublingual gland, which is situated within the dental arch and whose secretion is rnixed (but mainly mucinous). A classification can similarly be made for the accessory salivary glands, which are to be found in all parts of the oral cavity.