578 Int. J. Morphol., 31(2):578-583, 2013. A Study of the Anatomical Variations in the Position of the Greater Palatine Foramen in Adult Human Skulls and its Clinical Significance Variaciones Anatómicas en la Posición del Foramen Palatino Mayor en Cráneos Humanos Adultos y su Significación Clínica Mitesh R. Dave * ; Vaishali Kiran Yagain ** & Samir Anadkat *** DAVE, M. R.; YAGAIN, V. K. & ANADKAT, S. A study of the anatomical variations in the position of the greater palatine foramen in adult human skulls and its clinical significance. Int. J. Morphol., 31(2):578-583, 2013. SUMMARY: Pain is a common distressing symptom in dental practice. Depending upon the cases, different techniques are used to relieve pain. One of these is peripheral trigeminal nerve block. Peripheral trigeminal nerve block anaesthesia has proved to be an effective and convenient way to anaesthetise large regions of oral and maxillofacial complex. This block can be intraoral or extra oral. The intraoral route is through the greater palatine foramen in which the dental surgeons enter into the pterygopalatine fossa, where the maxillary nerve is situated. The morphological variations in the position of greater palatine foramen may be of clinical importance in the administration of local anaesthesia and in palatal surgery. In the present study, the distance of greater palatine foramen from the median palatine suture, and from the posterior border of hard palate have been noted, and the position of greater palatine foramen relative to the maxillary molars, as well as the direction of the foramen have been examined. KEY WORDS: Greater palatine foramen; Peripheral trigeminal nerve block; Pterygopalatine fossa; Maxillary molars. INTRODUCTION The bony palate on the base of the skull is formed by the alveolar arch and the hard palate. Alveolar arch bears the sockets for the roots of the upper (maxillary) teeth. Medial to the third molar tooth on either side is the greater palatine foramen, between the horizontal plate of palatine bone and the palatine process of maxilla. Further back are small multiple lesser palatine foramina in the pyramidal process of the palatine bone. Through the corresponding palatine foramina pass the greater and lesser palatine nerves and vessels (Sinnatamby, 1999). The greater palatine nerve is a branch of maxillary nerve, which is the second division of trigeminal nerve. It starts in the middle of the trigeminal ganglion and leaves the skull through foramen rotundum. Then it enters the pterygopalatine fossa. In this fossa it gives a number of branches and itself continues as infraorbital nerve. The greater palatine artery is a branch of third part of the maxillary artery in the pterygopalatine fossa. It accompanies the greater palatine nerve in the greater palatine canal. Here it gives two or three lesser palatine arteries, which transmit through the lesser palatine foramina. Greater palatine artery emerges through the greater palatine fora- men on the hard palate with the greater palatine nerve. Then it runs forwards in a groove to the incisive canal and anastomoses with a branch of sphenopalatine artery. The greater palatine nerve innervates the gums, mucous membrane and palatine glands of the roof of the mouth. MATERIAL AND METHOD The present study was conducted with the aim to ascertain the position of the greater palatine foramen in relation with various landmarks in male and female skulls. The study material comprised of 100 dry, sexed, adult human skulls from sources in the various Medical Colleges of Gujarat, India. Out of 100 skulls, 60 were males, 39 were females, and 1 unknown sex. * Assistant Professor of Anatomy, GMERS Medical College, Valsad, Gujarat, India. ** Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, Medical University of the Americas, Nevis, West Indies. *** Professor, Department of Anatomy, Medical University of the Americas, Nevis, West Indies.