Assessment of the Relative Locations of the Greater Palatine Foramen in Adult Chinese Skulls

Abstract

One hundred dry skulls of adult Chinese of both sexes were studied. They were homogeneous in the form of maxillary arch and having full eruption of the upper third molar, without missing teeth and malposition of teeth. Our findings revealed that the mean distance from the center of the greater palatine foramen (GPF) to the midsagittal plane of the hard palate was 16.00 mm, and to the posterior border of the hard palate, 4.11 mm. The location of the GPF related to the maxillary molars was expressed as percentage in 5 relations. We found that the most common location of the GPF was between the maxillary second and third molars (relation III: 48%) and less common was lingual to the maxillary third molar (relation IV: 33.5%). The usually accepted description of the GPF location was lingual to the second molar (relation II), but in our study this relative position occurred in only 17% of the skulls. The long axis of the greater palatine canal directing to the GPF in the oral cavity was found to be directed anteriorly in 181 openings (90.5%) of the 200 GPF, and only 19 openings (9.5%) directed vertically. The bilateral symmetry of GPF on both sides of each skull was remarkable. The discrepancy of our observations on the Chinese skulls from those on other ethnic groups was discussed. Our findings suggest, therefore, the existence of an ethnic variation and the necessity of a more accurate method of locating the GPF in clinical practice.

Greater palatine foramen – key to successful hemimaxillary anaesthesia: a morphometric study and report of a rare aberration

“…(6,(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) The mean value for this measurement in the present study was in agreement with those of earlier studies on Indian skulls. (8,11) The authors are therefore of the opinion that globally, the foramen might be consistently located 14-15 mm from the mid-palatine raphe.…”

“…All studies, except that by Wang et al, (12) have consistently found that the GPF is most frequently opposite the third molar (Table VII), (6,8,(10)(11)(12)(14)(15)(16) which would thus seem to be a reliable landmark when attempting to locate the foramen. Nevertheless, there are some differences seen among the various studies.…”

“…(9) Again, we found only 2.02% of the foramina to be directed anteriorly, a figure that is much lower than that documented by Chrcanovic and Custódio (69.38%), (14) and Wang et al (90.5%). (12) The occurrence of an anterolaterally directed foramen is of clinical significance, as it is difficult to negotiate such a foramen with a needle. An anterolaterally directed foramen was seen in only 3.54% of the skulls in our study, although its incidence in a study of Nigerian skulls by Ajmani was significant at 38.7%.…”

Use of Palatal Miniscrew Anchorage and Lingual Multi-Bracket Appliances to Enhance Efficiency of Molar Scissors-Bite Correction

“…The greater palatine foramen is located medially to the third molar between the second and third molars. [22][23][24] The greater palatine nerve exits the foramen and runs anteriorly, 5 to 15 mm from the gingival border to the incisive foramen. Kravitz and Kusnoto 25 recommended that miniscrews inserted in the palatal slope should be placed mesially to the second molar.…”

Morphometric Evaluation of the Greater Palatine Foramen in Adult Sri Lankan Skulls

“…A large body of evidence shows a clear racial variation in the morphometry and relative position of the greater palatine foramen in relation to the maxillary molars among different populations (Wang et al, 1988;Ajmani, 1994;Jaffar & Hamadah, 2003;Methathrathip et al;Saralaya & Nayak, 2007;Chrcanovic & Custódio, 2010). It is also interesting to note that traits such as localization of the facial foramina not only differ between populations of different geographic zones but also within the inhabitants of the same geographic environment (Saralaya & Nayak;Ilayperuma et al, 2009).…”