Parotid duct
Ductus parotideus (Stensen)
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- What it is
- The parotid (Stensen's) duct leaves the front edge of the gland, runs forward over the masseter muscle a finger-breadth below the cheekbone, turns sharply inward through the buccinator muscle and opens inside the cheek opposite the upper second molar.
- Function
- Carries parotid saliva into the mouth; the buccinator acts as a valve so the duct is not inflated when you blow.
- Size
- About 5 cm long, 3 mm in diameter
- Clinical note
- A small papilla marks its opening inside the cheek — press the gland and saliva squirts from it. Stones are rarer here than in the submandibular duct because parotid saliva is thin.