The salivary glands constitute a system or network of glands (parotid, submaxillary, sublingual and minor salivary glands) and their function is to secrete saliva to maintain a proper state of moisture, lubrication and pH in our mouth.

They are also responsible for providing proteins and liquids for the correct salivation of food.

What affects the salivary glands?

The salivary glands can be affected basically by inflammation or by tumors. It should be noted that most of the tumors are benign, but most of them must be removed. Inflammations of the glands can be secondary to infections, obstructive causes (lithiasis or salivary stones), trauma, etc., all these cases are solvable.

A large number of the population has problems with dry mouth (xerostomia). This symptom may simply be due to glandular atrophy, but sometimes it may be indicative or secondary to other pathologies, and should therefore be studied. The study of these and other glandular pathologies should be carried out by a specialist.

Salivary gland tumors are mostly found in the parotid glands. These glands are located at the pre-auricular level and behind the angle of the mandible. The parotid gland is divided into superficial lobe and deep lobe by the passage of the facial nerve (nerve responsible for facial mobility).

What are the symptoms?

Parotid gland tumors are frequently benign. Despite their benignity, they tend to grow causing facial deformity, discomfort and pain and sometimes facial nerve involvement. Parotid tumors of malignant behavior, although less frequent, are the first thing to be ruled out by the maxillofacial surgeon.

In parotid gland surgery, the key element is not to damage and preserve the facial nerve, responsible for the innervation of the facial musculature. This runs through the thickness of the parotid gland, so, in case of surgery, it must be performed by an expert team with experience in this type of intervention. The same occurs in surgery of the submaxillary and sublingual glands, due to their intimate relationship with the lingual nerve and vessels.

A specialized team also ensures the treatment of tumors, infections and salivary lithiasis with minimally invasive surgery.

Treated pathologies: Acute suppurative parotitis. Kussmaul’s disease. Mumps. Cytomegalic mumps. Bacterial sialoadentis. Mickulicz syndrome. Sjögren’s syndrome. Sialoliasis .