Submandibular duct

The submandibular duct (Wharton's duct, submaxillary duct) is about 5 cm. long, and its wall is much thinner than that of the parotid duct.

It begins by numerous branches from the deep surface of the gland, and runs forward between the mylohyoideus, hyoglossus, and genioglossus, then between the sublingual gland and the genioglossus, and opens by a narrow orifice on the summit of a small papilla at the side of the frenulum linguæ.

On the hyoglossus it lies between the lingual and hypoglossal nerves, but at the anterior border of the muscle it is crossed laterally by the lingual nerve; the terminal branches of the lingual nerve ascend on its medial side.

It drains saliva from the submandibular glands and sublingual glands to the sublingual caruncle at the base of the tongue.