Anatomical and clinical considerations regarding the greater palatine foramen

• Author Details:   
• Zuberi Hussain Riyaz
• Ahar Ahmed Siddiqui

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Knowledge of the position of the greater palatine foramen (GPF) is very important for anaesthesia in posterior part of soft palate in various surgical procedures. Blocking of maxillary division of trigeminal nerve or its branches is common practice for maxillofacial surgeries for local anaesthesia.
Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the morphology of greater palatine foramen in relation to certain fixed points.
Methodology: The present study was conducted on 43 dry adult Maharashtrian skulls. The measurements were taken with compass asthesio meter. Using flexible stainless steel wire direction of opening of GPF into oral cavity was noted.
Results: In 69.76% cases, GPF is located opposite third maxillary molar tooth. Mean distance from GPF to the incisive fossa (IF) was found to be 37.8 mm. The mean distance between posterior margins of GPF to posterior border of hard palate was 3.6 mm. The distance between the GPF to the midline maxillary suture was 16.5 mm. In 74.42% cases, direction of opening of GPF was located antero laterally.
Conclusion: The location of greater palatine foramen is variable in most of the cases it is located opposite third molar tooth and is directed antero-lateral.

Keywords: Greater palatine foramen, Hard palate, Clinical anatomy