SOFT PALATE

Soft palate
- movable muscular fold
- suspended from roof of mouth
  - posterior border of hard palate
- separates nasopharynx from oropharynx
- surfaces
  - anterior ( oral surface)
    - concave
    - marked by a median raphe
  - posterior
    - convex
    - continuous superiorly with
    - floor or nasal cavity
- borders
  - superior
    - attached to posterior border of hard palate
    - blending on each side with pharynx
  - inferior
    - free
    - from middle
      - hangs a conical projection
        
        uvula
        
        each side of base of uvula
        
        two curved folds of mucous membrane extend laterally and downward
        
        anterior fold
        
        palatoglossal arch or anterior pillar of fauces
        
        palatoglossus muscle
        
        forms the lateral boundary of oropharyngeal isthmus or isthmus of fauces
        
        posterior fold
        
        palatopharyngeal arch or posterior pillar of fauces
        
        contains palatopharyngeus muscle
        
        forms posterior boundary of tonsillar fossa
        
        merges inferiorly with lateral wall of pharynx
- Structure
  - it is a fold of mucous membrane
  - parts
    - palatine aponeurosis
      - flattened tendon of tensor veli palatini
        
        forms fibrous basis of palate
      - near median plane aponeurosis splits to enclose
        
        musculus uvulae
      - superior surface
        
        Levator veli palatini and palatine aponeurosis lie on this surface
      - inferior or anterior surface
        
        palatoglossus muscle
    - numerous glands and some taste buds are present
- Muscles of soft palate
  - Tensor palati ( tensor veli palatini )
  - Levator palati ( Levator Veli palatini )
  - Musculus Uvulae
  - Palatoglossus
  - Palatopharyngeus
- Nerve supply
  - All muscles of soft palate except tensor veli palatini
    - pharyngeal plexus
      - derived from cranial part of accessory nerve through vagus
  - tensor veli palatini supplied by
    - mandibular nerve
  - General sensory nerves
    - middle and posterior lesser palatine nerves
      - branches of maxillary nerve
        
        through pterygopalatine ganglion
      - glossopharyngeal nerve
  - Special sensory or gustatory nerves
    - taste sensations from oral surface
- PASSAVANT'S RIDGE