Facial Nerves

The facial nerve is the seventh cranial nerve. It begins in parts of the brain stem and branches into the face, neck, salivary glands and outer ear. The facial nerve performs both motor and sensory functions. Branching up from the brain stem, it divides into smaller nerves that reach into the face, neck, salivary glands and the outer ear. These branches control the muscles of the neck, the facial expressions, and the muscles of the forehead. They also stimulate secretions of the lower jaw and those salivary glands which are in the front of the mouth. Along with this, they report taste sensations from the front two-thirds of the tongue and carry sensations from the outer ear. Although a spontaneous grin and a deliberate smile both use lip and cheek muscles, each involves a different neural pathway from the brain.