Sublingual gland

Sublingual gland

The sublingual glands contribute around 5% of saliva produc - tion and are the smallest of the major salivary glands. They - lie above the mylohyoid muscle and below the floor of mouth mucosa and are bordered by the mandible laterally and by - the genioglossus m uscle medially . Their secretions are drained - by small ducts (Rivinus’s ducts) that exit along the sublingual fold at the floor of the mouth. A few anterior ducts may join together to form a common duct called Bartholin’s duct, which empties close to or into Wharton’s duct near the sublingual caruncle. The pathology of the sublingual glands mainly involves the - formation of a mucous retention cyst (ranula). Tumours of sublingual glands are v ery rare. Summary box 54.3 Sublingual gland /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF - -

Problems are rare Minor mucous retention cysts may need surgery A plunging ranula is a retention cyst that tunnels deep Nearly all tumours are malignant

Sublingual gland

The sublingual glands contribute around 5% of saliva produc - tion and are the smallest of the major salivary glands. They - lie above the mylohyoid muscle and below the floor of mouth mucosa and are bordered by the mandible laterally and by - the genioglossus m uscle medially . Their secretions are drained - by small ducts (Rivinus’s ducts) that exit along the sublingual fold at the floor of the mouth. A few anterior ducts may join together to form a common duct called Bartholin’s duct, which empties close to or into Wharton’s duct near the sublingual caruncle. The pathology of the sublingual glands mainly involves the - formation of a mucous retention cyst (ranula). Tumours of sublingual glands are v ery rare. Summary box 54.3 Sublingual gland /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF - -

Problems are rare Minor mucous retention cysts may need surgery A plunging ranula is a retention cyst that tunnels deep Nearly all tumours are malignant