Skull · Irregular bone
Palatine Bone
The palatine bones form the back of the roof of the mouth (hard palate) and parts of the nose and eye sockets.
RegionSkull
TypeIrregular bone
Number in bodyPaired (2)
What it is
The palatine bones are two L-shaped bones tucked at the back of the nasal cavity and roof of the mouth.
Where it is
The back of the roof of the mouth and the side walls of the nasal cavity.
What it does
Complete the hard palate (roof of the mouth) at the back and contribute to the nose and eye sockets.
Did you know?
An interesting fact
A cleft palate can involve incomplete joining of the palatine bones during development.
Answers
Palatine Bone: frequently asked questions
What do the palatine bones do?
The palatine bones form the back of the hard palate (roof of the mouth) and parts of the nose and eye sockets.
Explore the skull
Related bones
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NHS — Anatomy and body systems
- Gray's Anatomy for Students (Drake, Vogl, Mitchell)
- TeachMeAnatomy — skeletal system
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