The incisive canals (also: "''nasopalatine canals''") are two bony canals of the anterior
hard palate
The hard palate is a thin horizontal bony plate made up of two bones of the facial skeleton, located in the roof of the mouth. The bones are the palatine process of the maxilla and the horizontal plate of palatine bone. The hard palate spans ...
connecting the
nasal cavity
The nasal cavity is a large, air-filled space above and behind the nose in the middle of the face. The nasal septum divides the cavity into two cavities, also known as fossae. Each cavity is the continuation of one of the two nostrils. The nas ...
and the
oral cavity
A mouth also referred to as the oral is the body orifice through which many animals ingest food and vocalize. The body cavity immediately behind the mouth opening, known as the oral cavity (or in Latin), is also the first part of the alime ...
. An incisive canal courses through each
maxilla
In vertebrates, the maxilla (: maxillae ) is the upper fixed (not fixed in Neopterygii) bone of the jaw formed from the fusion of two maxillary bones. In humans, the upper jaw includes the hard palate in the front of the mouth. The two maxil ...
. Below, the two incisive canals typically converge medially.
Each incisive canal transmits a
nasopalatine nerve
The nasopalatine nerve (also long sphenopalatine nerve) is a nerve of the head. It is a sensory branch of the maxillary nerve (CN V2) that passes through the pterygopalatine ganglion (without synapsing) and then through the sphenopalatine foramen ...
, and an
anastomosis
An anastomosis (, : anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be normal (su ...
of the
greater palatine artery
The greater palatine artery is a branch of the descending palatine artery (a terminal branch of the maxillary artery) and contributes to the blood supply of the hard palate and nasal septum.
Course
The descending palatine artery branches off of ...
and a
posterior septal branch of the
sphenopalatine artery
The sphenopalatine artery (nasopalatine artery) is an artery of the head, commonly known as the artery of epistaxis. It passes through the sphenopalatine foramen to reach the nasal cavity. It is the main artery of the nasal cavity.
Course
The sp ...
.
Anatomy
An incisive canal has an average length of 10 mm, and an average width of up to 6 mm at the incisive fossa (the dimensions of the canal change with age, trauma, and loss of teeth).
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
In the human mouth, the incisive foramen (also known as: "''anterior palatine foramen''", or "''nasopalatine foramen''") is the opening of the incisive canals on the hard palate immediately behind the incisor teeth. It gives passage to blood vesse ...
.
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
The greater palatine artery is a branch of the descending palatine artery (a terminal branch of the maxillary artery) and contributes to the blood supply of the hard palate and nasal septum.
Course
The descending palatine artery branches off of ...
(to anastomose with the
posterior septal branch of
sphenopalatine artery
The sphenopalatine artery (nasopalatine artery) is an artery of the head, commonly known as the artery of epistaxis. It passes through the sphenopalatine foramen to reach the nasal cavity. It is the main artery of the nasal cavity.
Course
The sp ...
) while the
nasopalatine nerve
The nasopalatine nerve (also long sphenopalatine nerve) is a nerve of the head. It is a sensory branch of the maxillary nerve (CN V2) that passes through the pterygopalatine ganglion (without synapsing) and then through the sphenopalatine foramen ...
descends (to anastomose with the
greater palatine nerve
The greater palatine nerve is a branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion. This nerve is also referred to as the anterior palatine nerve, due to its location anterior to the lesser palatine nerve. It carries both general sensory fibres from the ma ...
).
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
*
Mandibular incisive canal
The mandibular incisive canal is a bilaterally paired bony canal within the anterior portion of the mandible that extends from the mental foramen (usually) to near the ipsilateral lateral incisor teeth.
The inferior alveolar nerve splits into ...
References
External links
{{Authority control
Foramina of the skull