Which Bones Make up the Hard Palate?
The hard palate consists of the left and right superior maxilla bones as well as the intermaxillary or incisive bone. The incisive bone is also known as the premaxilla.
The incisive bone is located between the canine tooth and lateral incisive tooth. It is a linear structure extending from the interior palatine fossa. It contains the sockets where the incisor teeth are held. It also contains the anterior nasal spine, the whole thickness of the alveolus and the corresponding part of the floor of the nose.
The hard palate creates part of the roof of the mouth. It is concave and covered with holes called foramina. These holes allow the passageway of nutrient vessels, palatine vessels and nerves. The surface is uneven and rough to the touch. The right superior maxillary bone and left superior maxillary bone are joined with a midline directly behind the incisor teeth.
The midline contains a passageway called the anterior palatine canal or incisive fossa. This passageway contains four canals. The foramina of Stenson are two lateral canals carrying posterior palatine arteries. The foramina of Scarpa are two midline canals carrying the nasopalatine nerves. All four combine to create the incisive fossa, or anterior palatine canal. The three bones together make up the hard palate.
