12/07/12

DEVELOPMEN
T OF SOFT
PALATE AND
ITS
PHYSIOLOGY
Presented by:

Dr . P. AKANSHA

MDS 1ST YEAR

Dept. Of PROSTHODONTICS
 CONTENTS
 DEVELOPMENT
 ANATOMY
1. DEFINITION
2. BOUNDARIES
3. STRUCTURES
4. EPITHELIUM
5. MUSCLES
6. NERVE SUPPLY
7. ARTERIAL SUPPLY
 PHYSIOLOGY
1. FUNCTIONS OF SOFT PALATE
2.CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
 POSTERIOR PALATAL SEAL

AREA
 REFERENCES
DEVELOPMENT
 Most of hard palate & SOFT PALATE form from
secondary palate.
 The palate is formed by fusion of secondary palate
to the primary palate -8th to 11th week of
embryonic period.
 2 lateral palatine processes develop from inner
aspect of maxillary process and fuse in midline to
form secondary palate.
 the incisive foramen marks the junction of 2
components of palate.
 28 DAYS - 4 TO 6 MM IN LENGTH
maxillary prominence start forming at
proximal end of first arch under eye.
 37 DAYS - 8 TO11 MM IN LENGTH
medial nasal prominence begins to
make contact with lateral nasal and
maxillary prominence.
 47 DAYS - 16 TO 18 MM IN LENGTH
 54 DAYS - 23 TO 28 MM IN LENGTH
Click icon to add picture PALATAL SHELVES –
1. outgrowths from medial edges
of maxillary prominences form
shelves of secondary palate.
2. Grows downward beside
tongue .
3. At 9th gestrational week palatal
– shelves elevate, make contact
and fuse with each other above
the tongue.

ANATOMY
 DEFINITION
 (38TH EDIT. OF GRAYE`S)- SOFT PALATE is
defined as a mobile flap suspended from the
posterior border of hard palate , sloping down and
back between the oral and nasal parts of the
pharynx.
 BOUNDARIES
 ANTERIORLY- attachment to posterior border of hard
palate.
 Posteriorly- a free border from the middle of which a
conical mass(uvula) hangs down.
 Laterally- 2 folds of mucous membrane

anterior & posterior palatoglossal extends

down to blend with the tongue & side wall of
the pharynx.
Between these 2 folds - palatine tonsil situated.
 STRUCTURES
 Composed of following layers – ABOVE

MUCOUS MEMBRANE OF DOWN

NASOPHARYNX

POSTERO- SUPERIOR LAYER OF

MUSCULUS UVULAE

LEVATOR PALATI MUSCLE

ANTERO-INFERIOR LAYER OF
PALATOPHARYNGUS

TENDON OF TENSOR PALATI

PALATOGLOSSUS MUSCLES

BUCCAL MUCOUS MEMBRANE WITH

MUCOUS SALIVARY GLANDS & LYMPH
TISSUE
 EPITHELIUM

 NON-KERATINIZED
STRATIFIED
SQUAMOUS EPITHELIUM.
 MUSCLES

5 MUSCLES
2 MUSCLSE- leaves 1 MUSCLE-hangs
2 MUSCLES – enters
soft palate & passes down from soft palate
soft palate from above
downward via. near midline into
via. 1)tensor palati
1)palatopharyngus uvula viz.1)musculus
2)levator palati
2)palatoglossus uvulae
 • MUSCLE • ACTION
LEVATOR VELI PALATINE DEGLUTITION

TENSOR VELI PALATINE DEGLUTITION

PALATOGLOSSUS
RESPIRATION
PALATOPHARYNGUS
RESPIRATION
MUSCULUS UVULAE
MOVES UVULAE
 NERVE SUPPLY

BRANCH OF MANDIBULAR
NERVE WHICH PASSES MOTOR FIBERS IN
THROUGH OTIC GANGLION PHARYNGEAL PLEUXS
WITHOUT RELAYING IN IT
• TENSOR PALATI • LEVATOR PALATI
• PALATOPHARYNGUS
• PALATOGLOSSUSE
• MUSCULUS UVULAE
 ARTERIES
 PHARYNGEAL ARTERY.

 GREATER OR DESCENDING PALATINE

ARTERY.
 PHYSIOLOGY
 FUNCTIONS OF SOFT PALATE
1. It isolates the mouth from the oropharynx
during CHEWING, so that breathing is
unaffected.

This is brought about by 2 palatoglossus

musles acting as sphincters for
oropharyngeal isthmus.
2. SWALLOWING-
(A)ORAL PHASE-
 Introduced by the withdrawal of the soft palate
from its rest position against the root of the
tongue, where it is held by the tensor palati
muscles.
 In this phase the soft palate moves upward and the
tongue drops downward and backward.
 At the same time, the larynx and hyoid move
upward.
 The elevation of the hyoid may actually be
initiated as the bolus is positioned in the swallow-
preparatory phase.
 These combined movements make a smooth path for
the bolus as it is pushed from the oral cavity by the
peristaltic-Iike action of the tongue.
 Solid food is actually pushed by the tongue, whereas
fluids flow ahead of the lingual contractions.
 During this phase, the oral cavity maintains an
anterior and lateral seal, and is stabilized by the
muscles of mastication.
 When a large bolus is to be swallowed, most or all of
it is moved into the preparatory position and is then
neatly sectioned by the tongue in consecutive
swallows until the oral cavity is empty
2. PHARYANGEAL PHASE-
 This phase begins as the bolus passes from the
tongue through the fauces.
 The pharyngeal tube is raised and the nasopharynx
sealed by closure of the soft palate against the
posterior pharyngeal wall.
 Active participation of the pharynx is elicited by
soft palate and bolus contact with the pharyngeal
wall, an action which consists of an elevation of
the entire
 pharyngeal tube and a sphincteric reduction
in the lumen between the upper pharyngeal
wall and soft palate.
 The hyoid and the base of the tongue move forward as
both the tongue and the pharynx continue their
peristaltic-like action on the food bolus.
 Passage of such a bolus through the pharynx during
the mature swallowing is enhanced by an anterior
movement of the hyoid and root of the tongue.
 Finally, there is an abrupt elevation of the larynx as
the bolus reaches the laryngo-pharynx and, this is then
followed by elevation of the floor of the laryngophary
and opening of the oesophageal sphincter.
3. OESOPHAGUS-
 This phase commences as soon as food passes the
cricopharyngeal sphincter. While peristaltic
movement carries the food through the
oesophagus, the hyoid bone, soft palate and tongue
return to their 'original positions'.
2. SPEECH-
 It is a learned process that makes use of anatomic
structures designed primarily for respiration and
deglutition.

 components- KANTNER & WEST (1941)

1. Respiration
2. Phonation
3. Resonation
4. Articulation
5. Neurological integration
6. Audition {chierici &lawson(1973)}
 RESPIRATION-

During respiration-
1. inhalation & exhalation equal in duration
2. Airflow regular
3. Repetitive.
DURING RESPIRATION-
4. SHORTENED INHALATION PHASE
5. PROLONGED EXHALATION PHASE
6. NOT REPETITIVE.
PROLONGATION OF EXHALATION ACHIVED BY VALVE
MECHANISMS ALONG WITH LARYNGEAL,
PHARYNGEAL, AND ORAL COMPONENTS OF
RESPIRATORY TRACT.
THESE VALVE IMPEDES THE EXPIRED AIR AND HELP
TO CREATE SPEECH SIGNALS.
 PHONATION-

primary function of vocal folds – to protect the

lungs and lower respiratory tract from inhalation of
particulate matter.
This protective mechanism requires simple, forceful
approximation of vocal folds.
 RESONANCE-
pharynx, oral cavity, nasal cavity act as resonating
chambers by amplifying some frequencies.
Pharynx- being formed by 3 closely associated muscular
tube which serves as excellent resonating chamber .
DEFECTS-
1) Excessive nasal resonance(hypernasality) –
due to congenital malformations of the soft
palate and acquired defects.
2) Insufficient nasal resonance
(hyponasality)-
exhibits insufficient airflow through the nasal
compartment.
 ARTICULATION-
The amplified , resonated sound is formulated into
meaningful speech by articulators i.e. lips, tongue,
cheeks,teeth, palate, by changing the spatial
relationship of these structures to each other.
Tongue considered single most important articulator
of speech because of its ability to affect rapid changes
in movement and shape.
DEFECTS- Acquired defect of mandible.
 NEUROLOGICAL INTEGRATION-

speech integrated by the central nerves system both

at peripheral and central levels.
Neurological impairment – compromises specific
component of speech mechanism such as : vocal
folds
soft palate
tongue
 AUDITION-

Hearing permits reception and interpretation of

acoustic signals and allow the speaker to monitor
and control speech output.
 CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
 PARALYSIS- of soft palate in lesions of the vagus
nerve produces :

{a} Nasal regurgitation of liquid.

{b} Nasal twang in voice.

{c} flattening of the palate arch.

 CLEFT

PALATE -
POSTERIOR PALATAL SEAL
AREA

 DEFINITION- (GPT)-
The soft tissues along the junction of hard and soft
palates on which pressure within the physiologic
limits of the tissues can be applied by a denture to
aid in the retention of the denture.
 CLASSIFICATION-
The most common 6 Posterior palatal seal configuration
described by Winland and Young.

1. A bead posterior palatal seal.

2. A double bead posterior palatal seal.
3. A butterfly posterior palatal seal.
4. A butterfly posterior palatal seal with a bead on
the posterior limit.
5. A butterfly posterior palatal seal with the hamular
notch area cut to half the depth of a #9 bur.
6. A posterior palatal seal constructed in reference
to House’s classification of palatal forms.
 HOUSE’S PALATAL THROAT FORM:

•Class I:- 5-13mm distal (more than 5mm of

movable tissue available) Ideal for
retention.

•Class II:- 3-5mm distal (1-5mm of movable

tissue available) Good retention.

•Class III:- 3-5mm anterior (less than 1mm of

movable tissue available) Poor retention.
 FUNCTIONS-

1. Retention of maxillary denture during

mastication, deglutition ,and phonation
2. Reduction in gag reflex.
3. Reduced food accumulation beneath the
denture.
4. Reduce patient discomfort when contact
occurs between tongue and denture.
5. Compensate volumetric shrinkage occurs
during polymerization of resin.
 ANATOMIC BOUNDARIES-
1. POSTPALATAL SEAL-

extends medially from one tuberosity to

the other.

2. Pterygomaxillary seal –

Extends through hamular notch continuing for

3-4 mm anterolaterally appoximating
mucogingival junction.

2.
 VIBRATING LINE-
It is an imaginary line drawn across the palate that
marks the beginning of motion in the soft palate.
1. ANTERIOR VIBERATING LINE-
located at the junction of attached tissues overlying
the hard palate and movable tissues of immediately
adjacent soft palate.
2.POSTERIOR VIBERATING LINE-
Located at the junction of aponeurosis of the tensor
veli palatine muscle and muscular portion of soft
palate.
VALSALVA MANEUVER METHOD-
1. Both nostrils be held firmly while the
patient blows gently through the nose.
This will position soft palate inferiorly at its
junction with the hard palate.
2. Anterior viberating line can also be
approximated by visualizing the area
while instructing the patient to say “AHH”
with short burst vigorous burst.
3. Due to posterior nasal spine projection
 REFERENCE
 Sheldon Winkler, Essentials of complete denture
prosthodontcs .second edition.
 Zarb Bolender,Prosthodontic Treatment for edentulous
patients,twelfth edition.
 Boucher,s Prosthodontic treatment for edentulous
patient,ninth edition.
 Winland, RD and Young JM. Maxillary complete denture
posterior palatal seal: Variations in size, shape and
location. J Prosthet Dent 29:256-261, 1973.
 38TH edition , Graye`s anatomy.