lateral pterygoid nerve lateral pterygoid nerve the lateral pterygoid nerve (or external pterygoid nerve) is a branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve. it usually originates as two separate branches that travel near the buccal nerve, and enter the deep surfaces of the superior and inferior heads of the lateral pterygoid muscle. lateral pterygoid nervedistribution of the maxillary and mandibular nerves, and the submaxillary ganglion.detailsfromanterior division of mandibular nerveinnervateslateral pterygoid muscleidentifierslatinnervus pterygoideus externusnervus pterygoideus lateralista98a14.2.01.072ta26257fma53107anatomical terms of neuroanatomy nerve pathway trigeminal nerve (cn v) mandibular nerve (v3) anterior division of mandibular nerve variation some authors describe the lateral pterygoid nerve as a single branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve which then bifurcates to enter the two heads of the lateral pterygoid muscle.