Nasopalatine nerve

It exits the pterygopalatine fossa through the sphenopalatine foramen to enter the nasal cavity.{{Cite book |last=Standring |first=Susan |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1201341621 |title=Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-7020-7707-4 |edition=42th |location=New York |pages= |oclc=1201341621}} It passes across the roof of the nasal cavity{{Cite book |last=Sinnatamby |first=Chummy S. |title=Last's Anatomy |publisher= Elsevier Australia|year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7295-3752-0 |edition=12th |pages=496}} below the orifice of the sphenoidal sinus to reach the{{Cite journal |last=Langford |first=R. J. |date=1 October 1989 |title=The contribution of the nasopalatine nerve to sensation of the hard palate |url=https://www.bjoms.com/article/0266-4356(89)90077-6/abstract |journal=British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery |language=en |volume=27 |issue=5 |pages=379–386 |doi=10.1016/0266-4356(89)90077-6 |issn=0266-4356 |pmid=2804040|url-access=subscription }}{{Better source needed|reason=The introduction section of a research article is not an appropriate source.|date=November 2022}} posterior part of the nasal septum.{{Better source needed|reason=The introduction section of a research article is not an appropriate source.|date=November 2022}} It passes anteroinferiorly upon the nasal septum along a groove upon the vomer, running between the periosteum and mucous membrane of the lower part of the nasal septum.{{Better source needed|reason=The introduction section of a research article is not an appropriate source.|date=November 2022}} It then passes through the hard palate by descending through the incisive canal to reach the roof of the mouth.

The nasopalatine nerve provides sensory innervation to the posteroinferior portion of the nasal septum,{{Rp|page=496}} and the anterior-most portion of the hard palate{{Rp|page=370}} (i.e. the gingiva{{Rp|page=496}}/mucous membrane of the palate{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}} just posterior to the upper incisors{{Rp|page=496}}).

The nasopalatine nerve communicates with the corresponding nerve of the opposite side and with the greater palatine nerve.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

The nasopalatine nerve may be anaesthetised in order to perform surgery on the hard palate or the soft palate.{{Cite journal|last1=Lassemi|first1=E.|last2=Motamedi|first2=M. H. K.|last3=Jafari|first3=S. M.|last4=Talesh|first4=K. T.|last5=Navi|first5=F.|date=November 2008|title=Anaesthetic efficacy of a labial infiltration method on the nasopalatine nerve|url=https://www.nature.com/articles/sj.bdj.2008.872|journal=British Dental Journal|language=en|volume=205|issue=10|pages=E21|doi=10.1038/sj.bdj.2008.872|pmid=18833207 |s2cid=22231341 |issn=1476-5373|url-access=subscription}}

The nasopalatine nerve was first identified by Domenico Cotugno.

File:Gray187.png|Base of skull. Inferior surface.

• Foramina of Scarpa

{{Gray's}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{LoyolaMedEd|GrossAnatomy/h_n/cn/cn1/cnb2.htm}}
• {{NormanAnatomy|lesson9}} ({{NormanAnatomyFig|nasalseptumner}})
• [http://www.adi-visuals.com/nerves3.html Diagram 1 at adi-visuals.com]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930135243/http://www.adi-visuals.com/nerves4.html Diagram 2 at adi-visuals.com]

{{Trigeminal nerve}}

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Category:Nerves