The infraorbital nerve is the terminal branch of the maxillary nerve, emerging from the infraorbital foramen to supply the cheek, nose, upper lip, and lower eyelid. It runs in the infraorbital canal in the orbital floor, making it vulnerable to injury in orbital floor blowout fractures and Le Fort II midface fractures. The infraorbital foramen is the target of infraorbital nerve blocks for anaesthesia of the midface, upper lip, and anterior upper teeth.
| Origin | Maxillary nerve (V2) terminal branch through the infraorbital canal |
|---|---|
| Course | Runs in the infraorbital canal in the orbital floor, exits through the infraorbital foramen 1 cm below the orbital rim, and fans into inferior palpebral, lateral nasal, and superior labial branches |
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| Sensory |
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Infraorbital nerve injury in zygomaticomaxillary fractures produces cheek, upper lip, and nasal ala numbness that is assessed as part of the clinical evaluation of every facial fracture. Persistent numbness after fracture reduction may indicate direct nerve transection in the canal. The infraorbital foramen can be palpated approximately 1 cm below the midpoint of the inferior orbital rim.
Cheek and upper lip numbness from orbital floor or midface fracture involving the infraorbital canal, usually resolving as swelling resolves but potentially permanent with canal bone impingement.
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