Greater palatine nerve

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Greater palatine nerve
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The sphenopalatine ganglion and its branches. (Anterior palatine at bottom center)
Details
From Pterygopalatine ganglion
Identifiers
Latin nervus palatinus major, nervus palatinus anterior
TA98 A14.2.01.045
TA2 6224
FMA 52802
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

The greater palatine nerve is a branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion. This nerve is also referred to as the anterior palatine nerve, due to its location anterior to the lesser palatine nerve. It carries both general sensory fibres from the maxillary nerve, and parasympathetic fibers from the nerve of the pterygoid canal. It may be anaesthetised for procedures of the mouth and maxillary (upper) teeth.

Contents

Structure

The greater palatine nerve is a branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion. It descends through the greater palatine canal, moving anteriorly and inferiorly. [1] [2] Here, it is accompanied by the descending palatine artery. [1] It emerges upon the hard palate through the greater palatine foramen. It then passes forward in a groove in the hard palate, nearly as far as the incisor teeth.

While in the pterygopalatine canal, it gives off lateral posterior inferior nasal branches, which enter the nasal cavity through openings in the palatine bone, and ramify over the inferior nasal concha and middle and inferior meatuses. At its exit from the canal, a palatine branch is distributed to both surfaces of the soft palate.

Function

The greater palatine nerve carries both general sensory fibres from the maxillary nerve, and parasympathetic fibers from the nerve of the pterygoid canal. It supplies the gums, the mucous membrane and glands of the hard palate, and communicates in front with the terminal filaments of the nasopalatine nerve.

Clinical significance

The greater palatine nerve may be anaesthetised to perform dental procedures on the maxillary (upper) teeth, and sometimes for cleft lip and cleft palate surgery. [1]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Facial nerve</span> Cranial nerve VII, for the face and tasting

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandibular nerve</span> Branch of the trigeminal nerve responsible for the lower face and jaw

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palatine bone</span> Bone of the facial skeleton

In anatomy, the palatine bones are two irregular bones of the facial skeleton in many animal species, located above the uvula in the throat. Together with the maxilla, they comprise the hard palate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otic ganglion</span> Parasympathetic ganglion of the head and neck

The otic ganglion is a small parasympathetic ganglion located immediately below the foramen ovale in the infratemporal fossa and on the medial surface of the mandibular nerve. It is functionally associated with the glossopharyngeal nerve and innervates the parotid gland for salivation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pterygopalatine ganglion</span> Parasympathetic ganglion in the pterygopalatine fossa

The pterygopalatine ganglion is a parasympathetic ganglion in the pterygopalatine fossa. It is one of four parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck,.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater petrosal nerve</span> Nerve in the skull

The greater petrosal nerve is a nerve of the head mainly containing pre-ganglionic parasympathetic fibres which ultimately synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion. It branches from the facial nerve and is derived from the parasympathetic part of the nervus intermedius component of CN VII, with its cell bodies located in the superior salivary nucleus. In the connective tissue substance of the foramen lacerum, the greater petrosal nerve unites with the (sympathetic) deep petrosal nerve to form the nerve of the pterygoid canal which proceeds to the pterygopalatine ganglion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maxillary nerve</span> Branch of the trigeminal nerve responsible for the mid-face

In neuroanatomy, the maxillary nerve (V2) is one of the three branches or divisions of the trigeminal nerve, the fifth (CN V) cranial nerve. It comprises the principal functions of sensation from the maxilla, nasal cavity, sinuses, the palate and subsequently that of the mid-face, and is intermediate, both in position and size, between the ophthalmic nerve and the mandibular nerve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pterygopalatine fossa</span> Fossa in the skull

In human anatomy, the pterygopalatine fossa is a fossa in the skull. A human skull contains two pterygopalatine fossae—one on the left side, and another on the right side. Each fossa is a cone-shaped paired depression deep to the infratemporal fossa and posterior to the maxilla on each side of the skull, located between the pterygoid process and the maxillary tuberosity close to the apex of the orbit. It is the indented area medial to the pterygomaxillary fissure leading into the sphenopalatine foramen. It communicates with the nasal and oral cavities, infratemporal fossa, orbit, pharynx, and middle cranial fossa through eight foramina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pterygoid processes of the sphenoid</span> Bone plates projecting from the sphenoid bone of the skull

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The zygomatic nerve is a branch of the maxillary nerve. It arises in the pterygopalatine fossa and enters the orbit through the inferior orbital fissure before dividing into its two terminal branches: the zygomaticotemporal nerve and zygomaticofacial nerve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nasopalatine nerve</span> Nerve of the head

The nasopalatine nerve (also long sphenopalatine nerve) is a nerve of the head. It is a sensory branch of the maxillary nerve (CN V2) that passes through the pterygopalatine ganglion (without synapsing) and then through the sphenopalatine foramen to enter the nasal cavity, and finally out of the nasal cavity through the incisive canal and then the incisive fossa to enter the hard palate. It provides sensory innervation to the posteroinferior part of the nasal septum, and gingiva just posterior to the upper incisor teeth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maxillary artery</span> Artery supplying face structures in humans

The maxillary artery supplies deep structures of the face. It branches from the external carotid artery just deep to the neck of the mandible.

The greater palatine artery is a branch of the descending palatine artery and contributes to the blood supply of the hard palate and nasal septum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Posterior superior alveolar nerve</span>

The posterior superior alveolar nerves (also posterior superior dental nerves or posterior superior alveolar branches) are sensory branches of the maxillary nerve (CN V2). They arise within the pterygopalatine fossa as a single trunk. They run on or in the maxilla. They provide sensory innervation to the upper molar teeth and adjacent gum, and the maxillary sinus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nerve of pterygoid canal</span>

The nerve of the pterygoid canal is formed by the union of the (parasympathetic) greater petrosal nerve and (sympathetic) deep petrosal nerve within the cartilaginous substance filling the foramen lacerum. From the foramen lacerum, the nerve of the pterygoid canal passes through the pterygoid canal to reach the pterygopalatine fossa, ending at the pterygopalatine ganglion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intermediate nerve</span> Portion of the facial nerve

The intermediate nerve, nervus intermedius, nerve of Wrisberg or Glossopalatine nerve is the part of the facial nerve located between the motor component of the facial nerve and the vestibulocochlear nerve. It contains the sensory and parasympathetic fibers of the facial nerve. Upon reaching the facial canal, it joins with the motor root of the facial nerve at the geniculate ganglion. Alex Alfieri postulates that the intermediate nerve should be considered as a separate cranial nerve and not a part of the facial nerve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salivatory nuclei</span>

The salivatory nuclei are two parasympathetic general visceral efferent cranial nerve nuclei - the superior salivatory nucleus and the inferior salivatory nucleus - that innervate the salivary glands. Both are located in the pontine tegmentum of the brainstem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of human anatomy</span> Overview of and topical guide to human anatomy

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References

PD-icon.svgThis article incorporates text in the public domain from page 893 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

  1. 1 2 3 Hafeez, Najmus Sahar; Ganapathy, Sugantha; Sondekoppam, Rakesh; Johnson, Marjorie; Merrifield, Peter; Galil, Khadry A. (2015). "Anatomical Variations of the Greater Palatine Nerve in the Greater Palatine Canal". Journal of the Canadian Dental Association . 81 via jcda.
  2. Mellema, Jonathan W.; Tami, Thomas A. (2004-03-01). "An Endoscopic Study of the Greater Palatine Nerve". American Journal of Rhinology . 18 (2): 99–103. doi:10.1177/194589240401800206. ISSN   1050-6586.