Goodlettsville Dental Services

Sublingual Gland

They lie anterior to the submandibular gland under the tongue, beneath the mucous membrane of the floor of the mouth.

They are drained by 8-20 excretory ducts called the ducts of Rivinus.

The largest duct, the sublingual duct (of Bartholin) joins the submandibular duct to drain through the sublingual caruncle.

The sublingual gland consists mostly of Mucous acini capped with serous demilunes and is therefore categorized as a mixed gland.

Most of the remaining small sublingual ducts open separately into the mouth on an elevated crest of mucous membrane, the sublingual fold (plica), caused by the gland and on either side of the frenulum linguae.

The chorda tympani nerve (from the facial nerve via the lingual nerve) is secretomotor to the sublingual glands.