Submandibular gland removal

What is submandibular gland removal?

The submandibular glands are a pair of salivary glands that sit under the jaw, one on each side. They make saliva that travels along a duct to an opening under the tongue. Each gland lies close to three important nerves: one that moves the lower lip, one that gives feeling to the tongue, and one that moves the tongue.

Submandibular gland removal takes out one of these glands, usually because of repeated blockage from stones, recurrent infection or pain, or to remove and identify a lump. Most submandibular lumps are not cancerous, but the gland is sent for analysis to confirm this.

Because the gland sits among these nerves, the main aim of surgery, alongside removing the gland, is to protect them. Removing one gland does not usually cause a dry mouth, because the other salivary glands carry on making saliva.

Types & techniques

There isn't one single operation. The right approach depends on you — which is something to discuss with your surgeon.

Options at a glance

These are the main approaches described in this guide. The right option depends on the diagnosis, your goals and what your clinician thinks is safe.

Preparing for your surgery

• See a surgeon experienced in salivary gland surgery, often an ENT or maxillofacial surgeon.
• Expect tests beforehand, such as an ultrasound scan, and sometimes a needle sample of a lump or other imaging.
• Ask why the gland is being removed and whether less invasive options have been considered.
• Tell your surgeon about all medicines and supplements, especially blood thinners.
• If you smoke, stopping beforehand helps healing.
• Arrange about one to two weeks off, a lift home and support for the first day after a general anaesthetic.

What happens

The operation is usually done under general anaesthetic. For the standard approach, the surgeon makes a cut in the upper neck, a few centimetres below the jaw, placed in or near a skin crease so it heals discreetly.

The gland is carefully separated from the surrounding tissue while protecting the three nearby nerves: the branch that moves the lower lip, the nerve that gives feeling to the tongue, and the nerve that moves the tongue. The gland is then removed and sent to the laboratory.

A small drain is sometimes placed and removed after a day or so. Most people go home the same day or stay one night. In selected cases the gland can be removed through the mouth instead, avoiding a neck scar.

Is this operation right for me?

A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.

Before you decide

Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.

Anaesthetic choices

The safest option depends on the operation, your health, the facility and your surgeon/anaesthetist. Ask what is planned and why.

The main risks are to the three nerves near the gland. The branch that moves the lower lip can be bruised, causing a temporarily uneven smile; the nerve that gives feeling to the tongue can cause tongue numbness; and the nerve that moves the tongue is rarely affected. These problems are usually temporary but can occasionally be permanent. Numbness around the neck scar is common. Ask your surgeon how often each problem happens in their hands.

Published figures to discuss

Nerve-related problems are the most reported risks of submandibular gland removal. Reported rates vary widely between studies and surgical approaches, and many problems are temporary rather than permanent. Because the figures vary so much and depend on technique and the reason for surgery, cautious and partly qualitative wording is used here rather than precise percentages.

These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.

Recovery — what to expect, and when

Recovery from submandibular gland removal usually takes about one to two weeks for everyday life. Numbness around the scar is common and can last, while any nerve-related weakness or tongue numbness is usually temporary.

• Swelling and bruising under the jaw
• Numbness of the skin around the scar, which is common and may be long-lasting
• A firm, slightly raised scar that softens and fades over months
• A temporarily uneven smile or tongue numbness that gradually recovers, if it occurs

Aftercare

• Keep the wound clean and dry as advised, and follow instructions about the dressing and any drain.
• Take pain relief as needed; discomfort is usually manageable.
• Report any lasting lower-lip weakness or tongue numbness so it can be assessed.
• Avoid strenuous activity and heavy lifting until your surgeon says it is safe.
• Eat and drink normally unless told otherwise; one gland removed does not usually affect saliva.
• Attend the appointment to discuss the laboratory result on the gland.
• Know who to contact for bleeding, spreading redness or signs of infection.

• Time off work booked (about 1–2 weeks)
• Lift home and support for the first day arranged
• Pain relief obtained
• Awareness that lip or tongue changes can occur and are usually temporary
• Appointment to receive the laboratory result understood
• Clinic's contact number saved for bleeding or concerns

Scars and how they heal

The standard approach leaves a scar in the upper neck, under the jaw, placed in or near a skin crease so it heals as discreetly as possible. It is firm and slightly raised at first and usually fades over months. Numbness of the skin around the scar is common and may not fully return to normal. Removal through the mouth avoids an external scar but is only suitable in selected cases.

⚠ Get urgent help if…

• Heavy bleeding or a rapidly expanding swelling at the wound
• Spreading redness, heat, swelling or discharge (signs of infection)
• High temperature or feeling generally unwell
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing, or marked swelling of the neck or floor of the mouth
• A lasting drooping of the lower lip or persistent tongue numbness
• Severe pain not controlled by your pain relief

Who to contact: your surgeon or clinic first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your surgeon gives you.

Results & realistic expectations

A good result is removal of the gland with the nearby nerves protected, settling of the symptoms that led to surgery, and a clear laboratory diagnosis. Pain, swelling and infection from a blocked gland usually stop. Most submandibular lumps turn out to be benign, and the tissue analysis confirms the diagnosis.

Removing one gland does not usually cause a dry mouth. Some numbness around the scar is common and may persist. If a lump was cancerous, a specialist team will discuss any further treatment and arrange follow-up.

Once the gland is removed, the problems it caused, such as stones, repeated infection or a benign lump, do not return in that gland. The other salivary glands continue to make saliva, so long-term mouth dryness is unusual. For cancers, the long-term outlook depends on the type and stage and is guided by a specialist team with ongoing follow-up.

Combining with other procedures

Submandibular gland removal is sometimes combined with removal of nearby lymph nodes (neck dissection) when cancer is present or suspected. For stones, less invasive treatments such as removing a stone from the duct or basket retrieval may be tried first, with gland removal reserved for repeated problems.

Follow-up & long-term care

You will be seen to check the wound and nerve function and to discuss the laboratory result. For benign problems, follow-up may be brief; for cancer, longer-term surveillance is arranged. Report any lasting lip weakness, tongue numbness or signs of infection.

• Attend any planned follow-up, especially after a lump or cancer.
• Report any new lump or swelling under the jaw or in the neck promptly.
• Protect the scar from strong sun while it is fading.
• Maintain good mouth care, although one gland removed does not usually affect saliva.

Revision and secondary surgery reality

• Once the gland is removed, the original problem does not recur in that gland.
• If a stone was in the duct rather than the gland, a further small procedure on the duct may still be needed.
• If the final result shows cancer, further surgery or other treatment may be required, planned by a specialist team.

Ask your surgeon for their own revision rate, what counts as a revision, and what is included in the written aftercare policy.

What good aftercare looks like

• Assessment of lip and tongue function after surgery and a plan if changes occur.
• A clear process for receiving and discussing the laboratory result.
• A named contact for bleeding, infection or breathing or swallowing concerns.
• Appropriate follow-up, including longer surveillance if a lump turns out to be cancer.

What affects the cost

Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:

• Whether the gland is removed through the neck or through the mouth
• Tests before surgery, such as ultrasound and any needle sampling
• Surgeon, anaesthetist and theatre or facility fees
• Length of hospital stay and drain care
• Laboratory analysis of the removed gland
• Follow-up appointments and any further treatment if a lump is cancer

• The surgeon's fee and the planned approach (neck or mouth)
• Cost of pre-operative scans and needle tests
• Anaesthetist, theatre and any overnight stay fees
• Laboratory analysis of the removed gland
• Follow-up appointments and management of any complications
• What happens, and how care is arranged, if the lump turns out to be cancer

On the NHS? Submandibular gland removal is commonly done on the NHS for stones, recurrent infection or a lump; private care may be used for speed, choice or a second opinion, and cancer care is normally led by an NHS specialist team.

You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.

Consent traps and marketing red flags

These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.

Choosing a surgeon safely

• Check your surgeon is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
• Make sure they practise at a CQC-registered location, and look for membership of bodies like BAAPS or BAPRAS.
• You're entitled to a two-stage consent process with time to reflect (a cooling-off period). The surgeon who will operate must consent you — not a salesperson.
• Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers, discounts or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
• You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.

How Vuemedics verifies every consultant →

Take this to your consultation. A good surgeon will welcome every one of these.

• Why is the whole gland being removed rather than just treating the stone or blockage?
• What is my risk of lower-lip weakness, tongue numbness or altered tongue movement?
• Will my operation be through the neck or through the mouth, and why?
• What do my scan and any needle test suggest the problem is?
• What happens if the laboratory result shows something unexpected?
• Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
• Will you be the surgeon who carries out my operation, and who looks after me afterwards?
• What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
• What does a realistic result look like — and what can this operation not achieve?
• What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
• Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
• What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?

Find a verified surgeon for submandibular gland removal

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How we made this page

Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →

Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.

Sources & standards: ENT UK — Submandibular gland excision NHS — Salivary gland stones Submandibular salivary gland excision — StatPearls (NCBI) Surgical approaches to the submandibular gland — review (ScienceDirect)

Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.

Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.