Diseases Affecting the Palate: Koplik spots: a rash frequently seen on the palate in measles; secondary syphilis: mucous patches on the palate; herpes of the throat: vesicles on the pharyngeal walls and soft palate; swelling of uvula: noted in inflammations of pharynx and tonsil and in nephritis, severe anemia, and angioneurotic edema; in diphtheria and necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, by a membranous exudate; in some hemorrhagic diatheses, by a bloody extravasation; Kaposi sarcoma: dark purplish-red lesions that may be found on the hard and soft palate; paralysis: a possible result of diphtheria, bulbar paralysis, neuritis, basal meningitis, or a tumor at the base of the brain; anesthesia: in pathological conditions of the second division of the fifth nerve.

artificial p.A prosthetic device molded to fill a cleft in the palate.

bony p.Hard palate.

cleft p.A congenital fissure in the roof of the mouth forming a communicating passageway between mouth and nasal cavities. It may be unilateral or bilateral and complete or incomplete. SYN: palatoschisis.

gothic p.An excessively high palatal arch.

hard p.The anterior part of the palate supported by the maxillary and palatine bones. SYN: bony palate.

incomplete p.A cleft involving only a part of the hard or soft palate.

pendulous p.Uvula.

primary p.In the embryo, the partition between the nasal and oral cavities.

reverse smoker's p.A precancerous change of the roof of the mouth caused by habitual placement of the burning end of a cigarette inside the mouth.

secondary p.In the embryo, the palate formed from the maxillary arches and frontonasal processes.

soft p.A musculomembranous fold that partly separates the mouth and the pharynx; the posterior roof of the mouth. It is elevated during swallowing to block the nasopharynx.