What is the soft palate?
The soft palate (lat. Velum palatinum) is a flexible and soft continuation of the hard palate. This continuation presents itself as a soft tissue fold and consists of connective tissue, muscles and mucous membrane.
Due to its composition it is often referred to as soft palate. The soft palate can be slanted or perpendicular to the base of the tongue and separates the mouth from the throat. It thus serves to separate the airway from the foodway. The soft palate also performs articulation tasks to enable oral and nasal sounds.
Anatomy
The soft palate consists of connective tissue, various muscles that radiate into the soft palate, and mucous membrane. On the side of the soft palate that faces the oral cavity, there is a so-called multi-layered non-cornified squamous epithelium as the upper layer. On the side facing the pharynx, however, there is the respiratory ciliated epithelium typical of the respiratory tract.
The so-called palatal aponeurosis, a connective tissue plate rich in fibers, forms the basis of the soft palate. Vessels and nerves end here and supply the soft palate by connecting it to the blood circulation and nervous system. At the edge of the soft palate, double folds form on both sides, which are called palatal arches.
In the middle, the so-called uvula is formed. At this point is the so-called Ah line. This is a boundary line between the hard and soft palate that appears when the A-vowel is articulated.
In dental prosthetics, this line serves as the maximum expansion limit for full dentures. If a prosthesis is oversized, the soft palate would lever it out further back and it would no longer have a hold. The palatal muscles, consisting of various muscles, radiate into the palatal aponeurosis.
The muscles of the palatal muscles include The musculus palatoglossus is additionally assigned to the outer tongue muscles, while the musculus pharyngoglossus is also part of the pharyngeal muscles. All muscles of the soft palate move the soft palate and thus support the swallowing process. Furthermore, the palate muscles separate the mouth from the nasopharynx.
- Musculus tenseor veli palatini
- Musculus levator veli palatini
- Uvular muscle
- Musculus palatoglossus
- Musculus pharyngoglossus
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