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Glite Dictionary
superior alveolar artery

superior alveolar artery

6.5
A blood vessel that brings blood to the upper teeth
  • noun
  • /suːˈpɪr.i.ər ælˈviː.ə.lər ˈɑːr.tər.i/
  • Specialized
translation icon : arteria alveolar superior
  • The superior alveolar artery supplies blood to the upper teeth.

Examples

  • Dentists must be careful not to injure the superior alveolar artery when extracting upper teeth.

  • Damage to the superior alveolar artery can cause excessive bleeding during dental procedures.

  • The superior alveolar artery is essential for delivering oxygenated blood to the upper jaw.

  • Several branches of the superior alveolar artery are important for dental health.

  • Damage to the superior alveolar artery can lead to complications during dental surgery.

  • When performing a tooth extraction, a dentist must avoid cutting the superior alveolar artery.

  • The superior alveolar artery provides crucial blood supply to the upper teeth and gums.

Synonyms

arteria alveolaris superior
vssuperior alveolar artery
  • Specialized
9.9

An artery that gives blood to the upper teeth and nearby gums

only supplies blood to upper teeth and not adjacent gums

Surface Forms

superior alveolar artery singular
superior alveolar arteries plural

Morphology

superior + alveolar + artery

The phrase is compositional: 'artery' (blood vessel) modified by 'alveolar' (relating to the tooth-bearing part of the jaw) and qualified by 'superior' (upper), so the overall meaning 'an artery supplying the upper teeth' is directly derivable from the parts. Although medical, the modifier-order and semantics follow regular English formation and similar labels exist in many languages (e.g. Spanish 'arteria alveolar superior'), so a learner who knows the constituent words can understand it.

Etymology

Superior alveolar artery is a medical name: superior means 'upper', alveolar refers to the tooth sockets in the jaw, and artery is a blood vessel that carries blood. So, the name literally describes a blood vessel that brings blood to the upper teeth.