Publication

Abstract : Greater palatine nerve blocks are administered to anesthetise palatal soft tissues distal to maxillary canines. So, the knowledge of the normal morphology of the hard palate and position of the greater palatine foramen (GPF) is of utmost importance to dentists and oral maxillofacial surgeons. The aim of this study was to analyse the variations in the dimensions of the hard palate and to localise the greater palatine foramen with reference to certain standard landmarks. 60 adult Indian skulls of unknown sex were studied for shape, mastoid-to-mastoid length, palatal length, palatal width, the relative position of the greater palatine foramen to the maxillary molars on either side and the distance of the right and left greater palatine foramen from the incisive fossa and the median palatal suture. Skulls were classified based on palatal index.