Muscles of the palate

Question 1

Landmarks - alveolar ridge

Answer 1

behind top teeth

Question 2

Landmarks - hard palate

Answer 2

made up of palatine process of maxilla and palatine process of palatal bone

Question 3

Landmarks - soft palate (velum)

Answer 3

palatal aponeurosis

Question 4

Landmarks - Rugae

Answer 4

transverse ridges posterior to alveolar arch

Question 5

Landmarks - Palatal Vault

Answer 5

configuration varies (high, narrow, wide, flat)

Question 6

Soft Palate Muscle

Levator veli palatine

Answer 6

origin - petrous portion of temporal bone and medial wall of Eustachian tube
insertion - down and forward to palatal aponeurosis
action - elevates and retracts velum

Question 7

Soft Palate Muscle

Tensor veli palatine

Answer 7

origin - medial pterygoid plate of sphenoid and side walls of Eustachian tube
insertion - blend with tendon that passes around pterygoid hamulus into palatal aponeurosis
action - opens Eustachian tube, stiffens palate

Question 8

Soft Palate Muscle

Musculus uvula

Answer 8

origin - posterior nasal spine of palatal bone
insertion - back blending into palatal aponeurosis
action - shorten palate

Question 9

Soft Palate Muscle

Palatoglossus

Answer 9

see glossopalatine

Question 10

Soft Palate Muscle

Palatopharyngeus/ pharyngopalatine

Answer 10

origin and insertion pull each other
origin - palatal aponeurosis
insertion - go lateral and down to pharyngeal aponeurosis
action - muscle narrows pharynx, lower velum
bulk of muscle forms posterior faucial pillar