An unnamed branch of the lingual nerve: gingival branch.

Our main aim was to study the mylohyoid nerve, but during cadaveric dissections an unnamed branch of the lingual nerve was encountered incidentally. Dissections of sublingual and pterygomandibular spaces on 13 cadavers preserved in formalin showed an unnamed branch present bilaterally in 11 specimens, which had not been identified before in any of the anatomical textbooks. The branch extended horizontally from the medial mandibular cortex at the level of the retromolar pad to mesial of the lower first molars-second premolars. It was supplying the lingual periosteum, gingiva, and mucosa that were overlying the medial alveolar process. The mean (SD) diameter of the left and right branches was 0.66 (0.1) mm at the branching side. The mean (SD) length of the right and left sides was 28.7 (4.4) mm. The mean (SD) distance from the alveolar crest was 5.8 (0. 9) mm. The lingual nerve supplies the lingual soft tissues; however, none of the anatomical textbooks mention such a subdivision or a branch supplying that part of the oral cavity. We describe the site and the morphological characteristics of this unnamed branch, and recommend that it be named "the gingival branch of the lingual nerve".