Description
The soft palate is formed by a series of muscles surrounded by a mucosal membrane. These muscles alter the shape of the soft palate and during swallowing, closing off the airway.
The muscles of the soft palate consist of the:
- tensor veli palatini muscle;
- levator veli palatini muscle;
- musculus uvulae;
- palatopharyngeus muscle (this is muscle is also considered a pharyngeal muscle);
- palatoglossus muscle (this muscle is also considered an extrinsic muscle of the tongue).
The muscles of the soft palate are innervated by the pharyngeal plexus of the vagus nerve (CN X), except for the tensor veli palatini muscle, which is innervated by the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve (CN V3).
