Overview
The lesser palatine nerves (posterior palatine nerve) are sensory branches of the maxillary nerve (CN V2). They arise from the pterygopalatine ganglion and descend through the lesser palatine canal and emerge (separately) through the lesser palatine foramen to pass posterior-ward at the soft palate. They provide sensory innervation to the mucosa of the soft palate, tonsil, and uvula. The nerves also carry autonomic fibers that contribute to the palatine glands. The lesser palatine nerve is relevant in dental anesthesia and in surgical procedures involving the posterior palate.
| Lesser palatine nerve | |
|---|---|
 The sphenopalatine ganglion and its branches. (Lesser palatine nerve at bottom right.) | |
| Details | |
| From | Pterygopalatine ganglion |
| Innervates | Soft palate, tonsil, and uvula |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nervi palatini minores |
| TA98 | A14.2.01.047 |
| TA2 | 6227 |
| FMA | 52805 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
The lesser palatine nerves (posterior palatine nerve) are sensory branches of the maxillary nerve (CN V2).[1] They arise from the pterygopalatine ganglion and descend through the lesser palatine canal and emerge (separately) through the lesser palatine foramen to pass posterior-ward at the soft palate.[2] They provide sensory innervation to the mucosa of the soft palate, tonsil,[2][3] and uvula.[3][4] The nerves also carry autonomic fibers that contribute to the palatine glands.[5] The lesser palatine nerve is relevant in dental anesthesia and in surgical procedures involving the posterior palate.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ Standring, Susan; Tubbs, R. Shane, eds. (December 30, 2025). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (43rd ed.). Elsevier. ISBN 9780443124785.
- 1 2 Chummy S. Sinnatamby (2011). Last's anatomy: regional and applied (12th ed.). Edinburgh. p. 496. ISBN 978-0-7020-4839-5. OCLC 764565702.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - 1 2 Gray, Henry (1918). Gray's Anatomy (20th ed.). p. 893.
- ↑ Ganatra, Muhammad Ashraf; Othman, Diaa (2022), "Anatomy of the Normal Palate", Surgical Atlas of Cleft Palate and Palatal Fistulae, Springer, Singapore, pp. 3–9, doi:10.1007/978-981-15-8124-3_2, ISBN 978-981-15-8124-3, retrieved 2026-03-10
- ↑ Hakami, Zaki (2018-02-01). "Distribution of nerve fibers during the development of palatine glands in rats". Acta Histochemica. 120 (2): 110–116. doi:10.1016/j.acthis.2017.12.007. ISSN 0065-1281.
- ↑ Narquet, Alexandre Louis Jacques (June 2023). "Greater and lesser palatine nerves: anatomical variations and its relevance on clinical practice". Universidad Europea de Madrid.
External links
- lesson9 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)
- cranialnerves at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (V)
- MedEd at Loyola GrossAnatomy/h_n/cn/cn1/cnb2.htm
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