Background: The greater palatine foramen (GPF) transmits the greater palatine vessels and nerve. Knowledge of its anatomical position is vital for maxillary anaesthesia in orofacial surgery, as well as for controlling bleeding during endoscopic sinus surgery, septorhinoplasty, posterior epistaxis, and palatal surgery. Aim: This study was conducted to analyse the location of the GPF relative to various anatomical landmarks of the bony hard palate among adult dry skulls from West Bengal. Methodology: A total of 104 dry skulls were examined. The vertical distance from the centre of the GPF to the posterior margin of the hard palate (PMHP), the oblique distance between the incisive fossa (IF) and the GPF, and the transverse distance between the mid-sagittal plane of the hard palate (MSHP) and the GPF were measured using digital vernier callipers. The location of the GPF in relation to the maxillary molar teeth and its direction of opening were noted in 41 skulls. Distances were compared between skulls with and without maxillary molar teeth. All data were tabulated and statistically analysed. The mean and standard deviation of the variables were calculated, and comparisons between sides and between skulls with and without maxillary molar teeth were performed using Student’s t-test (two-tailed, 95% confidence interval (CI)). Results: The centre of the GPF was located 3.47 ± 0.94 mm and 3.55 ± 0.98 mm anterior to the PMHP on the right and left sides, respectively. The mean distance of the GPF from the IF was 37.27 ± 2.62 mm on the right side and 37.42 ± 2.73 mm on the left side, while the mean distance from the MSHP was 15.01 ± 1.81 mm on the right side and 14.88 ± 1.71 mm on the left side. The most common location of the GPF was medial to the third molar tooth, and the most common direction of opening was anteromedial. A significant variation in the distance from the MSHP to the GPF was observed between skulls with and without maxillary molar teeth. Conclusions: These topographic data on the GPF aid surgeons in better evaluating the greater palatine nerve and vessels during oromaxillofacial surgery, particularly in the absence of maxillary molar teeth.
Sarkar et al. (Tue,) studied this question.