A study of the palatine foramen in dry human skulls in south-south Nigeria

Abstract

study of the palatine foramen in dry human skulls in south-south Nigeria was carried out to investigate the size, asymmetry and variations in the foramina. One hundred and fifty dry human skulls of Nigerians were studied. They all had full eruption of the upper third molar without missing any teeth. The parameters studied were greater palatine foramen and lesser palatine foramen. Results revealed that the mean distance of greater palatine foramen to the mid-line was 15.04± 2.1mm on the right side and 14.3± 1.5mm on the left side. The mean distance of the greater palatine foramen from the incisive fossa was 41.2± 4.8mm on the right side and 41.1± 5.0mm on the left side. The mean distance of greater palatine foramen from the posterior border of the hard palate was 4.98±1.2mm on the right side and 5.1±1.53mm on the left side. The most common location of greater palatine foramen was opposite the 3^rd maxillary molar (75.30 %) and less common between the 2^nd and 3^rd molar (33%). The mean of the lesser foramen was 1.3±0.51mm on the right side and 1.19±0.4mm on the left side. There was no significant difference between the right and left sides of the palatine foramen. This observation may be helpful in the peripheral block of maxillary nerve through the greater palatine foramen.

Keywords: Palatine foramen, Human skulls, South-South Nigeria