The arterial supply to the face is primarily provided by branches of the external carotid artery (Read more!), though there is also some limited supply from a branch of the internal carotid artery(Read more!).

Facial artery

The facial artery is the major vessel supplying the face, and it branches from the anterior surface of the external carotid artery. The facial artery passes up through the deep structures of the neck, and appears at the lower border of the mandible after passing posterior to the submandibular gland.

Curving around the inferior border of the mandible just anterior to the masseter, where its pulse can be felt, the facial artery then enters the face. Further, the facial artery, runs upward and medially in a tortuous course. It passes along the side of the nose and terminates as the angular artery at the medial corner of the eye.

Along its path, the facial artery is found deep to the platysma, risorius muscle, zygomaticus major muscle and zygomaticus minor muscle, while it is positioned superficial to the buccinator muscle and levator anguli oris muscle, and may pass superficially to or through the levator labii superioris muscle.

Branches of the facial artery include such vessels as the superior and inferior labial branches and the lateral nasal branch.

The labial branches arise near the corner of the mouth:

Inferior labial branch - supplies the lower lip;
Superior labial branch - supplies the upper lip and also provides a branch to the nasal septum.

Near the midline, the superior and inferior labial branches anastomose with their companion arteries from the opposite side of the face. This provides an important connection between the facial arteries and the external carotid arteries of the opposite sides.

The lateral nasal branch is a small branch arising from the facial artery, as it passes along the side of the nose. It supplies the lateral surface and the dorsum of the nose.

Transverse facial artery

The transverse facial artery arises from the superficial temporal artery (Read more!) within the substance of the parotid gland, passes through the gland, and crosses the face in a transverse direction. Lying on the superficial surface of the masseter muscle, it passes between the zygomatic arch and the parotid duct.

Branches of maxillary artery

The maxillary artery (Read more!) is the largest of the two terminal branches of the external carotid artery. It gives off several small branches that contribute to the arterial supply to the face, and these include the following:

Infraorbital artery - enters the face through the infraorbital foramen and supplies the lower eyelid, upper lip, and the area between these structures;
Buccal artery - enters the face on the superficial surface of the buccinator muscle and supplies structures in this area;
Mental artery - enters the face through the mental foramen and supplies the chin.

Branches of ophthalmic artery

Three small arteries from the internal carotid artery also contribute to the arterial supply of the face. These vessels arise from the ophthalmic artery after it enters the orbit:

Zygomaticofacial artery and zygomaticotemporal artery - come from the lacrimal branch of the ophthalmic artery, enter the face through the zygomaticofacial foramen and zygomaticotemporal foramen, and supply the area of the face over the zygomatic bone.
Dorsal nasal artery - a terminal branch of the ophthalmic artery, exits the orbit in the medial corner, and supplies the dorsum of the nose

Other branches of the ophthalmic artery - the supraorbital artery and supratrochlear artery - supply the anterior scalp.

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Arterial blood supply of face