Pterygopalatine Fossa and Palate - LO 3
3. What comprises the soft palate? What provides sensory innervation and arterial supply to this area? What is the palatine aponeurosis?
3. What comprises the soft palate? What provides sensory innervation and arterial supply to this area? What is the palatine aponeurosis?
The soft palate, a thick, musculo-mucosal fold, extends posteriorly from the hard palate to demarcate the nasopharynx and oropharynx.
The lesser palatine n. provides sensory innervation for the soft palate, and enters this area via the lesser palatine foramen.
The lesser palatine aa. exit through the lesser palatine foramina to supply the soft palate.
The palatine aponeurosis attaches to the posterior border of the hard palate, and is composed of tendons (aponeurosis indicates widened tendons) of the tensor veli palatini mm. All palatine muscles have an attachment to the palatine aponeurosis, and the musculus uvulae m. is enveloped by the aponeurosis.
