Palate function treatment for hard and soft palate


palate

The palate – Limiting the paranasal sinus to the oral cavity – Function & Treatment for hard and soft palate

The palate or the palate is perceived by most people only in the context of food, and it is rather the tongue that is tickled by the food. But problems with this part of the upper jaw can be uncomfortable and can also have serious consequences. What exactly hides behind this part of the body is generally less well known, though the answer is strikingly simple. Because in the first place he separates the mouth from the nasal cavity. It consists of two parts, the hard and the soft palate. The front, hard part of the palate is formed by the upper jawbone and is completely covered by the oral mucosa. This is not movable. The soft palate section is different. It adjoins directly to the front area and consists of various muscles, which are stabilized by a connective tissue plate. Also the so-called soft palate as well as the centrally arranged suppositories can be found here.

What important functions does the palate have??

The tasks of the palate are manifold. In addition to its function as a barrier between the mouth and the nose, the hard area is involved in the comminution of food and thus effectively supports the work of the dentition. When swallowing, the hard palate provides the necessary resistance.

Similarly, he helps the tongue and lips to speak certain sounds. Therefore, many palatal problems are also expressed in speech disorders. While the hard area is responsible for the permanent separation of the mouth and nose in the anterior section of the oral cavity, the soft area is responsible for reliably separating the nasopharynx from the oral cavity when swallowed. Often, a hypersensitive palate for the so-called. Gagging at the dentist responsible.

This prevents the penetration of food into the sensitive area. This function is ensured by the soft palate, which is pulled from the soft palate to the upper area during the swallowing process. Interestingly enough, this feature is rarely heard, as the soft palate is known to most people only in the context of snoring.

When sleeping, it automatically sleeps. In some people, the sail is too large pronounced and can then easily lead to severe snoring, which can be treated if necessary operationally.

Malformations on the palate usually require surgical intervention

Much of the disease of the palate area extends to malformations such as the cleft palate. She speaks of it when there is a central gap in the palate from birth. How strong this column is, differentiate />

For example, dysphagia and food intake problems are typical. Particularly pronounced cases may also show a cleft in the lips, which was formerly commonly known as the “harelip” or “wolf throat”. Naturally there are also disturbances in speech when the entire area of ​​the upper jaw is affected by a cleft palate. In the presence of such a malformation surgical correction is necessary. Here, the malformation of the palate is closed by a so-called palate plastic.

Why does the cleft palate often lead to further malformations in the mouth??

Since the lip-jaw-palate column usually also malpositions in the anatomy of the teeth and the jaw occur in the treatment in addition to the surgeon and the orthodontist and the dentist involved. In children this can lead to lengthy therapies as growth must be considered in the treatment of the disorders. Sometimes this also extends to the operation of the nose, which can develop more or less obliquely both internally and externally by the presence of a cleft. It is particularly important for patients with a cleft palate to maintain a careful hygiene throughout the mouth. The sensitive mucous membrane of the oral cavity can be a gateway for infections. Here the parents are required so that no additional complications arise.

What are other common diseases of the palate?

In addition to the malformations, there are still some other diseases of the palate, in which the dentist is often the first point of contact. Since the oral cavity is completely lined with mucous membranes, infections can also occur in this area. This is especially true if, for some reason, the patient has a weakened immune system, for example, through treatment with certain medications or as a result of underlying disease.

Then, inflammation of the lips, gums or teeth may spread to the palate. Depending on the cause, the effects and symptoms may be different. Often red, sore or purulent areas as well as blisters. Depending on the affected section, you may experience difficulty swallowing, speaking, or eating. If a large amount of pus forms under the mucous membrane, it causes an unpleasant swelling.

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Sometimes problems with the palate indicate other illnesses

Especially in the anterior region of the palate, swelling is often associated with greater pain because there is no soft tissue between the mucosa and bone that can absorb the pressure of the swelling.

An opening of a possible abscess by inflammation is not without problems, because here the treating dentist or oral surgeon must be careful not to injure the artery of the palate.

Just like the tongue, the palate can be covered by different coverings. Depending on the patient’s history, this may indicate serious illness that may require treatment. These are not always problems of the teeth or the jaw, but often internal disorders.

Thus, infectious diseases such as diphtheria may as well be responsible for the formation of deposits as certain gastrointestinal diseases. When such symptoms occur, a specialist should be consulted immediately. For a first assessment, the patient can contact a dentist. Apply Seidel, which can rule out diseases of the teeth as a cause.

Why do dentures not always work well with the palate??

Especially in older patients sometimes certain complaints on the palate increase. Then the prosthesis is often involved in the problem.

If, for example, a so-called palate prosthesis is used, the normal salivary flow of the oral cavity no longer reaches the palate area, or at least not completely. With regard to oral hygiene, this can lead to unpleasant disturbances, since in this case the natural self-cleaning of the palate no longer works properly.

In most cases, this manifests itself in irritation, which can also develop into inflammation. Moreover, if the patient does not take it so well with their own oral hygiene and the required cleaning of the prosthesis, these disturbances on the mucous membrane can become even more pronounced. In persistent bad breath, which can not be assigned to other causes, is also thinking in this direction. The dentist is happy to help with questions and problems regarding the correct cleaning and handling of the prosthesis.

  • Malformations on the palate usually require surgical intervention
  • For diseases of the palate, the first contact person is the dentist
  • Problems of the palate can be symptoms of other diseases
  • The seat of a prosthesis in the upper jaw strongly depends on the anatomy of the palate

This might interest you:

Would you like to learn more about the palate and treatment options for diseases?

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Dr. Frank Seidel

Last update of this page on 03.11.2019 by Dr. dr. Frank Seidel.

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