PALATE
Presented by :- Dr. Sushma Tomar
Associate Professor
2-6-2020 Department of Anatomy
Introduction
L. palate=roof of mouth
• It is a partition between the nasal and oral cavities.
Parts- 2
• Hard palate.
• Soft palate.
Hard Palate
Introduction
• Forms anterior 4/5th of the palate. Gums
Anterior 4/5th
Formation-
Anterior 2/3rd – by palatine processes
of maxillae.
Posterior 1/3rd – by horizontal plates of
palatine bones.
Alveolar Arch
• It becomes continuous with
maxillary alveolar arches and gums
anterolaterally.
• Its posterior border provides
attachment to soft palate. Posterior border
Introduction contd…
• Its superior surface forms the floor of nasal cavities.
• Its inferior surface forms the roof of oral cavity.
Inferior Surface
Presents the following features:
• Incisive fossa.
• Greater palatine foramen.
• Lesser palatine foramina.
Incisive Fossa
• Posterior nasal spine.
• Palatine crest.
• Masticatory mucosa.
Posterior Nasal Spine
Palatine Crest
Incisive Fossa
• A small pit anteriorly in the midline.
• It has openings of incisive canals in the form of
incisive foramina.
• Each incisive canal transmits Nasopalatine
nerve and Greater palatine vessels.
Incisive Fossa
Greater Palatine Foramen
• It lies in the posterolateral corner of hard palate, medial to last molar tooth.
• It transmits Greater palatine nerve and vessels.
Lesser Palatine Foramina
• 1-3 in number.
Location- just behind the Greater Palatine foramen.
• They are in the pyramidal process of palatine bone.
• They transmit lesser palatine nerve and vessels.
Posterior Nasal Spine
• A conical projection in the median plane on posterior border of hard palate.
Palatine Crest-
• A curved ridge near the posterior border of hard palate.
Posterior Nasal Spine
Palatine Crest
Masticatory Mucosa
•It is the mucous membrane lining the hard palate.
•It is firmly adherent with the periosteum by multiple Sharpey’s fibers.
•It presents transverse masticatory ridges on either side of midline.
•A narrow ridge extending anteroposteriorly in the midline from a papilla overlying the incisive
fossa is known as palatine raphe.
Arterial Supply
• Greater palatine arteries.
Venous drainage-
• Pterygoid venous plexus.
• Pharyngeal venous plexus.
Nerve Supply
• Greater palatine nerves.
• Nasopalatine nerves.
Lymphatic Drainage
• Upper deep cervical lymph nodes.
• Retropharyngeal lymph nodes.
Soft Palate
Introduction
• A mobile muscular flap hanging down from the
posterior border of hard palate into the
pharyngeal cavity.
• It separates the nasopharynx from oropharynx,
when abuts on the Passavant’s ridge.
SOFT PALATE
External Features
• 2 surfaces
• 2 borders
Surfaces- Superior Border
• Anterior (Oral)
• Posterior Anterior Surface
Median
Borders- Raphe
• Superior Inferior Border
• Inferior
Anterior (Oral) Surface-
• Concave.
• Has a median raphe. Posterior Surface
Posterior (Oral) Surface-
• Convex.
Anterior Surface
Borders
Superior Border-
• Attached to posterior border of hard palate.
Inferior Border-
• Free.
• Forms the anterior boundary of pharyngeal isthmus.
• A small, conical, tongue- like projection hanging down from its middle is called uvula.
On each side from the base of uvula, 2
Uvula
curved folds of mucous membrane extend
laterally and downwards:
• Anterior fold (Palatoglossal fold).
• Posterior fold ( Palatopharyngeal fold).
Anterior fold (Palatoglossal fold)-
• Merges inferiorly with the side of the
tongue ( at the junction of anterior 2/3rd
and posterior 1/3rd ). Uvula
• It contains palatoglossus muscle.
• It forms the lateral boundary of
oropharyngeal isthmus and anterior
boundary of tonsillar fossa.
Posterior fold ( Palatopharyngeal fold)-
• Merges inferiorly with the lateral wall of
pharynx.
• It contains palatopharyngeus muscle.
• It forms the posterior boundary of tonsillar
fossa.
Muscles
5 pairs of muscles:
• Tensor palati (Tensor Veli Palatini).
• Levator palati (Levator Veli Palatini).
• Palatoglossus.
• Palatopharyngeus
• Musculus uvulae.
• All muscles are extrinsic except
Musculus uvulae, which are intrinsic.
Tensor Palati
• It is a thin triangular muscle.
Origin-
• Lateral aspect of cartilaginous part of auditory
tube.
• Adjoining part of greater wing of sphenoid
including its spine.
Insertion-
• Muscle descends, converges to form a tendon.
• The tendon hooks round the pterygoid hamulus
and then expands to form the palatine
aponeurosis.
Palatine aponeurosis attaches to:
• Posterior border of hard palate.
• Inferior surface of hard palate behind the palatine
crest.
Actions-
• Tightens the soft palate.
• Helps in opening the auditory tube.
Levator Palati
• A cylindrical muscle lying deep to Tensor
palati.
Cartilaginous part of Auditory tube
Origin-
• Medial aspect of cartilaginous part of
auditory tube.
• Adjoining part of petrous part of temporal
bone ( inferior surface of its apex anterior
to carotid canal).
Insertion-
• Muscle runs downwards and medially and
spreads out to be inserted on the upper
surface of palatine aponeurosis.
Actions-
• Elevates the soft palate to close the
pharyngeal isthmus.
• Helps in opening the auditory tube.
Musculus Uvulae
• A longitudinal muscle strip.
• One on either side of median plane within
the palatine aponeurosis.
Origin-
• Posterior nasal spine.
• Palatine aponeurosis.
Insertion-
• Mucous membrane of uvula.
Actions-
• Pulls the uvula forwards to its own side.
Functions of Soft Palate
• During swallowing, closes the pharyngeal isthmus to separate the oropharynx from
nasopharynx, thereby prevents the entry of food into the nasopharynx and nasal cavities, and
closes the oropharyngeal isthmus to prevent the regurgitation of food contents into the oral
cavity.
Closure of Pharyngeal isthmus
[Soft palate is raised up (Levator Palati) and makes contact
with the posterior pharyngeal wall (contraction of Closure of Oropharyngeal isthmus
Palatopharyngeus)] [Soft palate is pulled down, approximated
the tongue and pressed against it]
Functions of Soft Palate contd…
• During chewing, closes the oropharyngeal isthmus to isolate the
oral cavity from oropharynx so that breathing is not affected.
• Helps to modify the quality of voice by varying the degree of
closure of pharyngeal isthmus.
• During sneezing, prevents the damage of nasal mucosa, by
appropriately dividing and directing the blast of air through both
nasal and oral cavities.
• During coughing, prevents the entry of sputum into the nasal
cavities by directing it into oral cavity.
Arterial Supply
Maxillary artery-
• Lesser palatine branches.
Facial artery-
• Ascending palatine branch.
Ascending pharyngeal artery-
MA- Maxillary Artery, LPA- Lesser Palatine Arteries, FA-
• Palatine branches. Facial Artery, APalA- Ascending Palatine Artery, APA-
Ascending Pharyngeal Aretry
CCA- Common Carotid Artery, ECA- External Carotid
Artery, DPA-Descending Palatine Artery, GPA- Greater
Palatine Artery
Venous Drainage
Into:
• Pharyngeal venous plexus.
• Pterygoid venous plexus.
Lymphatic Drainage
• Retropharyngeal lymph nodes.
• Upper deep cervical lymph nodes.
Nerve Supply
Motor supply-
• All muscles are supplied by cranial
root of Accesssory nerve via
pharyngeal plexus except Tensor
palati.
• Tensor palati is supplied by nerve
to Medial Pterygoid.
Sensory supply-
General Sensory-
• By Lesser palatine nerves.
• Glossopharyngeal nerve.
Applied Aspects
Gag Reflex-
• It is a protective reflex, in response
to stimulation of mucous
membrane of oropharynx.
• Characterized by reflex contraction
of pharyngeal and palatal muscles.
Afferent limb-
Glossopharyngeal nerve.
Efferent limb-
• Vagus nerve.