True or False: The common carotid artery begins at the superior border of the thyroid cartilage.

The common carotid artery does not begin at the superior border of the thyroid cartilage. Instead, it typically arises from the bifurcation of the aorta on the left side and from the brachiocephalic trunk on the right side and runs up the neck to the level of the fourth cervical vertebra, where it usually bifurcates into the internal and external carotid arteries. This anatomical position is crucial for various medical applications, including surgeries and the assessment of carotid artery health.

The superior border of the thyroid cartilage is utilized as a reference point to locate the common carotid artery during clinical examinations, but it is not the starting point of the artery itself. Given this anatomical knowledge, the statement is false.