Greater Palatine Nerve — ORE Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: D — Greater palatine nerve
The greater palatine nerve is the sole nerve innervating the palatal gingivae (palatal gingiva) of all upper teeth, including molars. It emerges through the greater palatine foramen and travels forward in a groove in the hard palate, supplying sensory fibres to the gums and mucous membrane of the hard palate. The lesser palatine nerve (option B) supplies the soft palate, tonsil, and uvula, not the hard palate gingivae. The nasopalatine nerve (option C) innervates the anterior hard palate and incisive papilla, not the molar region. The posterior superior alveolar nerve (option D) innervates the pulp and buccal gingivae of upper molars, not palatal gingivae. The infraorbital nerve (option E) and its branches (anterior and middle superior alveolar) supply anterior teeth and buccal gingivae. For local anesthesia of palatal tissues during periodontal or oral surgical treatment of posterior maxillary teeth, the greater palatine nerve block is the technique of choice.
Reference: Iwanaga J, Tubbs RS. Palatal Injection does not Block the Superior Alveolar Nerve Trunks: Correcting an Error Regarding the Innervation of the Maxillary Teeth. Cureus. 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5873831/