descending palatine artery

The descending palatine artery is an artery of the head.

Descending palatine artery (arteria palatina descendens)

According to Terminologia Anatomica, the descending palatine artery branches into the greater palatine artery and lesser palatine arteries.

Through each of them passes the terminal branch of the descending palatine artery and the nasopalatine nerve, to communicate with posterior septal branch of sphenopalatine artery and greater palatine artery respectively.

The descending palatine artery branches off of the maxillary artery in the pterygopalatine fossa and descends through the greater palatine canal along with the greater palatine nerve (from the pterygopalatine ganglion).

In this opening the orifices of two lateral canals are visible; they are named the incisive canals or foramina of Stenson; through each of them passes the terminal branch of the descending palatine artery and the nasopalatine nerve.