RESUMO
Aim of study: Aim of study: The aim of the study is to determine morphometric indices of hard palate, positionand location of greater palatine foramen (GPF) in relation to maxillary molars and number of lesser palatineforamen (LPF).Materials and methods: 100 adult skulls (65 males and 35 females) were obtained from the Department ofAnatomy. The parameters of hard palate like length, breadth and height were measured and palatine indiceswere calculated. Observations were made on the position and relation of GPF with maxillary molar and numberof LPF. There were highly significant differences between both the sexes in Palatal length, breadth and height. Thepalatine index indicated that majority (61%)of skulls had narrow palate (Leptostaphyline).The palatine heightindex showed that majority (69%) of skulls had high arched or deep palate.(Hypsistaphyline). The greater palatineforamen was at the level of third molar in 50%, in between second and third molar in 35.5%, and at the level ofsecond molar in 14% . In majority of skulls (71%) one lesser palatine foramen was observed and about (35%) ofskulls had two LPF and (2.5%) of skulls had three LPF, and in about (5.5%) absence of LPF was observed.Conclusion: Thorough anatomical study of hard palate is useful in ethnic and racial classification of crania,anthropological studies, fabricating complete maxillary dentures for edentulous patients and performing certainsurgical procedures in hard palate and soft palate. Knowledge of palatal indices would be helpful to the anatomists,anthropologists, and forensic experts and surgeons during repair of the cleft palate and lip.