Soft and hard palate, muscles of soft plate (draw scheme), isthmus of fauces
Hard palate[edit | edit source]
The basis of the hard palate is the paired ``processus palatini maxillarum and ``laminae horizontales palatal bones. At the very front, it is formed by a paired premaxilla, which is fused with the maxilla. The mucosa of the hard palate is immobile because it is tightly fused to the periosteum of the bone.
Hard palate formations[edit | edit source]
- Plicae palatinae transversae − rugae palatinae − these low lashes that run across gradually smooth out with age. They have a hard consistency due to the fusion of the mucosa with the periosteum.
- Raphe palati - is a remnant of the fusion of the right and left palatal plates. It resembles a rampart stretching in the middle line.
- Papilla incisiva - may not always be visible. It is a small elevation in the midline at the site of the bone foramina incisiva. In it, we can find depressions of the mucous membrane, sometimes in the form of two blind ducts - ductus incisivi.
As in other parts of the oral cavity, there are also small salivary glands − glandulae palatinae' in the mucosa of the hard palate.
- A larger group of these glands opens in the back part of the hard palate in a paired fossa - foveola palatina.
Soft palate[edit | edit source]
Unlike the hard palate, the soft palate is a movable plate, the basis of which is the fibrous aponeurosis palatine, which is a continuation of the periosteum of the horizontal lamellae of the palatal bones.
- The muscles of the soft palate and pharyngeal sphincter start from the aponeurosis and at the same time attach to it − musculi palati mollis et faucium'.
The soft palate is located at the back of the palate and connects smoothly to the hard palate. It is covered by a mucous membrane:
- lower oral side − multi-layered squamous cell epithelium, in which there are taste buds;
- upper nasopharyngeal side - multi-row cylindrical epithelium with cilia, may contain islands of squamous stratified epithelium.
Structures of soft palate -
- Palatoglossal arch located anteriorly.
- Palatopharyngeal arch which is located posteriorly. Contains palatopharyngeus muscle.
- Both folds, together with the palatine tonsil, form the isthmus faucium
Vasculature[edit | edit source]
Arterial supply is a branch from the maxillary artery - the descending palatine artery . Branches from the ascending pharyngeal artery and the ascending palatine artery also reach the edge of the soft palate. Blood from the soft palate is collected into the pterygoid plexus and then into the pharyngeal veins
References[edit | edit source]
- CIHÁK, Radomír – GRIM, Miloš. Anatomy. 2nd edition. Grada, 2002. 488 pp. vol. 2. ISBN 80-247-0143-X.
