This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2009)

Hard palate
Mouth (oral cavity)
Latin	palatum durum
Gray's	subject #38
Artery	greater palatine artery
Nerve	greater palatine nerve, nasopalatine nerve
MeSH	Hard+Palate

The hard palate is a thin horizontal bony plate of the skull, located in the roof of the mouth. It spans the arch formed by the upper teeth.

It is formed by the palatine process of the maxilla and horizontal plate of palatine bone.

It forms a partition between the nasal passages and the mouth. This partition is continued deeper into the mouth by a fleshy extension called the soft palate.

Function

The interaction between the tongue and the hard palate is essential in the formation of certain speech sounds, notably /t/, /d/, /j/, and /ÉŸ/.

Cleft

In the birth defect called cleft palate, the left and right portions of this plate are not joined, forming a gap between the mouth and nasal passage (a related defect affecting the face is cleft lip).

Cleft palate has a severe impact upon the ability to nurse and speak but is now cured through reconstructive surgical procedures at an early age (where such procedures are available).

See also

• Electropalatograph
• Head and neck anatomy
• Maxilla
• Palate
• Soft palate

Additional images

Mouth	The bony palate and alveolar arch.	Base of skull. Inferior surface.	Sagittal section of skull.
Roof, floor, and lateral wall of left nasal cavity.	Nerves of septum of nose. Right side.	Lateral wall of nasal cavity.	Coronal section of nasal cavities.
Sagittal section of nose mouth, pharynx, and larynx.

External links

• Hard+palate at eMedicine Dictionary
• Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 25420.000-1