Greater palatine canal
Encyclopedia
The greater palatine canal (or pterygopalatine canal) is a passage in the skull
that transmits the greater palatine artery
, vein, and nerve
between the pterygopalatine fossa
and the oral cavity.
. It goes through the sphenoid
and palatine bone
s to reach the palate, ending at the greater palatine foramen. From this canal, accessory canals branch off; these are known as the lesser palatine canals
.
The canal is formed by a vertical groove on the posterior part of the maxillary surface of the palatine bone
; it is converted into a canal by articulation with the maxilla
.
The canal transmits the descending palatine vessels, the greater palatine nerve
, and the lesser palatine nerve
.
Human skull
The human skull is a bony structure, skeleton, that is in the human head and which supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.In humans, the adult skull is normally made up of 22 bones...
that transmits the greater palatine artery
Greater palatine artery
The greater palatine artery is a terminal branch of the maxillary artery supplying blood to the hard palate and nasal septum.-Course:The descending palatine artery branches off of the maxillary artery in the pterygopalatine fossa and descends through the greater palatine canal along with the...
, vein, and nerve
Greater palatine nerve
The greater palatine nerve is a branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion that carries both general sensory and parasympathetic fibers...
between the pterygopalatine fossa
Pterygopalatine fossa
The pterygopalatine fossa is a fossa in the skull. It is the indented area medial to the pterygomaxillary fissure leading into the sphenopalatine foramen.-Boundaries:It has the following boundaries:...
and the oral cavity.
Structure
The greater palatine canal starts on the inferior aspect of the pterygopalatine fossaPterygopalatine fossa
The pterygopalatine fossa is a fossa in the skull. It is the indented area medial to the pterygomaxillary fissure leading into the sphenopalatine foramen.-Boundaries:It has the following boundaries:...
. It goes through the sphenoid
Sphenoid bone
The sphenoid bone is an unpaired bone situated at the base of the skull in front of the temporal bone and basilar part of the occipital bone.The sphenoid bone is one of the seven bones that articulate to form the orbit...
and palatine bone
Palatine bone
The palatine bone is a bone in many species of the animal kingdom, commonly termed the palatum .-Human anatomy:...
s to reach the palate, ending at the greater palatine foramen. From this canal, accessory canals branch off; these are known as the lesser palatine canals
Lesser palatine canals
The lesser palatine canals are passages in the palatine bone that carry the lesser and middle palatine nerves and vessels.-Structure:...
.
The canal is formed by a vertical groove on the posterior part of the maxillary surface of the palatine bone
Palatine bone
The palatine bone is a bone in many species of the animal kingdom, commonly termed the palatum .-Human anatomy:...
; it is converted into a canal by articulation with the maxilla
Maxilla
The maxilla is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper jaw. This is similar to the mandible , which is also a fusion of two halves at the mental symphysis. Sometimes The maxilla (plural: maxillae) is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper...
.
The canal transmits the descending palatine vessels, the greater palatine nerve
Greater palatine nerve
The greater palatine nerve is a branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion that carries both general sensory and parasympathetic fibers...
, and the lesser palatine nerve
Lesser palatine nerve
The lesser palatine nerve descends through the pterygopalatine canal, and emerges by the lesser palatine foramen. It also has nasal branches that innervate the nasal cavity.It supplies the soft palate, tonsil, and uvula....
.