Soft palate

The soft palate is a mobile fibromuscular fold attached to the posterior border of the hard palate. It separates the nasopharynx from the oropharynx during swallowing and speech. Its free posterior margin contains the uvula.

Framework

The soft palate consists of the palatine aponeurosis, mucosa, glands, and five muscles:

• Tensor veli palatini

• Levator veli palatini

• Palatoglossus

• Palatopharyngeus

• Musculus uvulae

All muscles are supplied by the vagus nerve (CN X) via the pharyngeal plexus except tensor veli palatini, which is supplied by CN V3.

Sensory innervation is mainly via the lesser palatine nerves (CN V2).

Blood supply is from the lesser palatine artery (from the maxillary artery), the ascending palatine artery (from the facial artery), and the palatine branches of the ascending pharyngeal artery (from the external carotid artery).

Functions

As the soft palate closes the nasopharynx during swallowing, it prevents nasal regurgitation, assists speech and phonation, and also helps open the auditory tube. Soft palate paralysis may cause nasal speech, uvular deviation, and nasal regurgitation.