Where it is
At the base of the ear, between the ramus of the mandible and the masseter.
- Layer
- Organs
- System
- Digestive system
- Region
- Head
What it is and what it does
The parotid gland lies in the retromandibular region, between the ramus of the mandible, the base of the ear and the superficial part of the masseter; its upper end is wide and notched by the base of the ear. The parotid duct crosses the masseter and opens into the mouth, opposite the upper cheek teeth. The sources do not agree on its size relative to the mandibular gland, so the atlas does not compare them.
Worth remembering
Its duct opens opposite the upper back teeth: that is why the cheek gets wet there.
Names
- Latin term: glandula parotidea.
- In Romanian: Glanda parotidă (Romanian page).
In the atlas lessons
The head: what you see, what is underneath (6 min):
Switch to “Organs”: the tongue on the floor of the mouth, the parotid at the base of the ear, the mandibular gland and the lymph nodes under the jaw.
Questions from the atlas
"Find it on the drawing" questions whose answer is this structure; in the atlas you will find them in the question bank and in the lessons.