National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) Practice Exam

Parasympathetic post-ganglion fibers leaving the otic ganglion do not travel along the facial nerve (VII) because the facial nerve controls muscles of facial expression and does not contain parasympathetic fibers. Similarly, the vagus nerve (X) is involved in controlling organs in the chest and abdomen, and does not contain parasympathetic fibers from the otic ganglion. The hypoglossal nerve (XII) controls the muscles of the tongue and does not contain parasympathetic fibers. The branch of the mandibular nerve is the correct answer because it contains the parasympathetic post-ganglion fibers from the otic ganglion that innervate the parotid gland for saliva production. This nerve branch travels through the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (V).