Hard Palate

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Introduction

The hard palate (palatum durum) forms the rostral roof of the oral cavity. It merges caudally with the soft palate where a connective tissue aponeurosis replaces the bone.

Structure and Function

• Bony shelf of palatine processes of the incisive, maxillary and palatine bones. Failure of the palatine bones to fuse results in cleft palate.

• 6-8 fixed transverse ridges to direct food caudally

• Flat

• Incisive papilla (small median swelling) behind incisive teeth

• Smaller papillae ducts branching to nasal cavity and veromeronasal organ

Histology

Hard Palate (Mouse) - Copywright RVC 2008

• Thick mucosa

• keratinised stratified squamous epithelium

Species Differences

Herbivores

• More heavily keratinised in herbivores

Links

Pathology of Cleft Palate