Greater palatine artery
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Cheng J, Fahrenhorst-Jones T, Knipe H, Greater palatine artery. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 21 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-57081
rID:
57081
Article created:
6 Dec 2017,
Jeffrey Cheng
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Jeffrey Cheng had no recorded disclosures.
View Jeffrey Cheng's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Travis Fahrenhorst-Jones had no recorded disclosures.
View Travis Fahrenhorst-Jones's current disclosures
Revisions:
3 times, by
3 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
The greater palatine artery is a branch of the descending palatine artery (branch of the 3rd part of the maxillary artery) 4. The blood vessel supplies the hard palate mucosa, gingival tissue, and palatine tonsils 5. The greater palatine artery also contributes to the Kiesselbach plexus of the nasal septum via anastomoses with the sphenopalatine artery 3,5.
Summary
- origin: descending palatine artery (branch of the maxillary artery)
- course: emerges from the pterygopalatine fossa via the greater palatine foramen onto the inferior surface of the hard palate before travelling anterior-lateral to the greater palatine nerve and entering the incisive canal 4,5
- branches: branches to the gingival tissues, the palatine tonsils, and the mucous membrane of the roof of the mouth 5
- termination: anastomoses with the septal branch of the sphenopalatine artery
Clinical importance
The greater palatine artery and greater palatine nerve form a neurovascular bundle as they pass through the greater palatine foramina, therefore, forming an area of special care in procedures of the hard palate 5.
References
- 1. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. ISBN: 9780443066849
- 2. Frank H. Netter. Atlas of Human Anatomy. (2018) ISBN: 9780323393225
- 3. Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically oriented anatomy. LWW. ISBN:1451119453. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 4. Chummy S. Sinnatamby. Last's Anatomy. (2021) ISBN: 9780702033957
- 5. Klosek, Sebastian Krystian, Rungruang, Thanaporn. Anatomical study of the greater palatine artery and related structures of the palatal vault: considerations for palate as the subepithelial connective tissue graft donor site. (2009) Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy. 31 (4): 245. doi:10.1007/s00276-008-0432-4
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