incisive canals
{{Short description|Two lateral canals in the incisive foramen}}
{{Infobox bone
| Name = Incisive canals
| Latin = canales incisivi
| Image = Gray160.png
| Caption = The bony palate and alveolar arch (incisive canals labeled at upper left)
| Image2 =
| Caption2 =
}}
The incisive canals (also: "nasopalatine canals") are two bony canals of the anterior hard palate connecting the nasal cavity and the oral cavity. An incisive canal courses through each maxilla. Below, the two incisive canals typically converge medially.{{cite journal | vauthors = Lake S, Iwanaga J, Kikuta S, Oskouian RJ, Loukas M, Tubbs RS | title = The Incisive Canal: A Comprehensive Review | journal = Cureus | volume = 10 | issue = 7 | pages = e3069 | date = July 2018 | pmid = 30280065 | pmc = 6166911 | doi = 10.7759/cureus.3069 | doi-access = free }}
Each incisive canal transmits a nasopalatine nerve, and an anastomosis of the greater palatine artery and a posterior septal branch of the sphenopalatine artery.
Anatomy
= Course and openings =
The two incisive canals usually (in 60% of individuals) have a characteristic Y-shaped or V-shaped morphology: above, each incisive canal opens into the nasal cavity on either side of the nasal septum as the nasal foramina; below, the two incisive canals converge medially to open into the oral cavity at midline at the incisive fossa as several incisive foramina.{{Cite web |title=incisive foramen |url=https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/incisive+foramen |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=TheFreeDictionary.com}}
Variation
There are several alternative morphologies of the canals: the two canals may not converge at any point, may have multiple openings superiorly, or only a single canal (with one inferior as well as only one superior opening) may be present.
= Contents =
Through each canal ascends the terminal branch of the greater palatine artery (to anastomose with the posterior septal branch of sphenopalatine artery) while the nasopalatine nerve descends (to anastomose with the greater palatine nerve).{{Cite book | vauthors = Gray H |title=Gray's Anatomy |year=1918 |edition=20th |pages=162}}
Additional images
File:Gray158.png|Left maxilla. Nasal surface.
File:Gray187.png|Base of skull. Inferior surface.
File:Gray196.png|Roof, floor, and lateral wall of left nasal cavity.
File:Gray780.png|The sphenopalatine ganglion and its branches.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Facial bones}}
{{Foramina of skull}}
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