Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The hard palate is the bony part of the roof of the mouth, separating the oral and nasal cavities. It consists of the palatine process of the maxilla and the horizontal plates of the palatine bones.
Related terms
Maxilla: The maxilla is a pair of bones that form the upper jaw and contribute to the formation of the orbit, nasal cavity, and hard palate.
Palatine bone: The palatine bone is an L-shaped structure located at the back part of the nasal cavity and contributes to forming parts of both the nasal cavity and hard palate.
Oral Cavity: The oral cavity is an anatomical space within the mouth that includes structures such as teeth, tongue, and salivary glands, bounded at its roof by the hard palate