The tensor veli palatini muscle is a part of the muscles of the pharynx in humans. It performs an important function in the act of swallowing. Its job is to prevent food or liquids from entering the trachea during swallowing.
What is the tensor veli palatini muscle?
The tensor veli palatini muscle is one of the muscles in the roof of the mouth in humans. It is considered part of the skeletal musculature of the head. The tensor veli palatini muscle is located in the pharynx or throat. Its function is to tighten the soft palate during the swallowing process. In this way, it creates an important prerequisite for a pain-free swallowing process. It ensures that the ingested food and liquids are transported directly into the esophagus. When the tensor veli palatini muscle contracts, the soft palate tightens. This then sits in front of the nasal cavity like a seal. In addition, the tensor veli palatini muscle helps to equalize pressure in the ear. This is necessary to transmit the recorded sound waves and enable hearing.
Anatomy and structure
The fibers of the IXth and the X. Cranial Nerve together innervate parts of the pharyngeal muscles via the pharyngeal plexus. From there, they supply the levator veli platini muscle. This is jointly responsible for lifting the soft palate. Laterally opposite the levator veli platini muscle is the tensor veli palatini muscle. This is innervated by a nerve branch of the mandibular nerve. The fine nerve branch is called the ramus musculi tensoris veli palatini. The mandibular nerve is a terminal branch of the trigeminal nerve. This is the V cranial nerve. The musculus tensor veli palatini is a broad and thin muscle. Its course visually resembles that of a loop. The tensor veli palatini muscle finds its origin at the sphenoid bone. Its course begins there between the sphenoid wing, the spina angularis, and a depression of the sphenoid bone, the os sphenoidale. It continues along the lateral aspect of the elastic closure cartilage of the auditory tube. From the small bony process of the sphenoid bone, the muscle is redirected. This has the shape of a hook. The tensor veli palatini muscle reaches the flat structure of the connective tissue. This is the palatal aponeurosis or aponeurosis palatina. There is the soft palate, also called the palatum molle, which spans the soft palate, the velum palattinum.
Function and tasks
The tensor veli palatini muscle has two tasks. Its main task is to tension the soft palate. Thus, it ensures the functionality of the soft palate during the swallowing act. The soft palate tenses at the back of the mouth. It becomes visible when the mouth is opened wide. There is a double fold with a uvula there. The uvula is located in the middle and hangs down vertically. It is soft and freely movable. In a relaxed state, the region around the uvula is equally soft. During the swallowing process, this area tenses. Since this process is similar to the process in sailing that occurs when the wind pushes into the sail, the region of the soft palate is called the soft palate. The tightening of the sail causes it to stretch like a seal to the nasal cavity. This allows food, liquids, and even saliva to drain directly into the esophagus. It is prevented by this process that apart from air everything else can stay away from the trachea. In addition, the tensor veli palatini muscle is an important element in creating pressure equalization in the ear. It causes the eustachian tube to open so that air can escape between the outside world and the middle ear. This is a necessary process so that the sound waves received by the so-called pinna, the outer ear, can be transported further and make hearing possible.
Diseases
Everyday discomfort in the palate can be caused by the intake of hot foods and drinks. These cause a sensation of pain on the tongue to the palate. The mucous membranes in the entire mouth and throat area are attacked by this. Among the most common diseases that have an impact on the palate are infections and inflammations. They include cold symptoms, flu or angina. These lead to defects in the mucous membranes and cause problems with chewing as well as swallowing. Comparable complaints arise in the case of a fungal infection in the palate, throat, tongue or lips.Dental complaints or inflammation of the roots of the teeth can also cause impairment of the swallowing process. In addition, allergic reactions or nerve inflammations can cause irritability and pain throughout the throat. A tumor disease in the mouth or pharynx can lead to the fact that food intake is no longer painless. Cleft lip and palate disease is a congenital malformation. One symptom of this condition is the splitting of the soft palate. This results in impairment of the swallowing process. The malformation is corrected in a newborn during the first weeks of life by surgical intervention. As soon as the function of the tensor veli palatini muscle is impaired, this affects the function of the levator veli palatini muscle. As a result, there are abnormalities in speech formation. Certain sounds, such as the letter “r” or the letter combination “ch”, can no longer be pronounced without errors. There are also effects on phonation when the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat area are no longer fully functional.
