Buccal gland within the bucinator muscle

Abstract

There are major and minor salivary glands that aid in the digestive process. Major glands are discrete and exist in predictable locations; minor salivary glands are more widespread and usually found dispersed in the mucosa of the mouth. Glands have their own contractile abilities, which allow them to secrete products without the assistance of vasculature or skeletal, or smooth muscle. This study will describe a cadaveric histological specimen in which an ectopic buccal gland was embedded within bucinator muscle fibers. Potential causes and explanations for this finding will be discussed, as well.

Keywords: Anatomy; Buccal mucosa; Cadaver; Minor salivary glands; Muscle.

Fig. 1

Section of mandible stained with Masson’s trichrome stain. The ectopic buccal gland (yellow arrowheads) is within the bucinator (red arrowheads). The smaller gland is also seen between the bucinator and buccal mucosa (yellow arrow).