ABSTRACT
The larger palatine foramen (FPM), for being the emerging point of the vasculo neural bundle that it isdistributed to the hard palate, for being close the area that donates gingival grafts, for being area for performinganesthetic techniques for desensitization of the hard palate, and still, for being the point of entrance of thepalatine channel for reaching the pterigopalatine ganglion, becomes fundamental in oral surgery interventions.141 softened human craniums were studied, from which 82 were masculine craniums and 59 were femininecraniums. The measures were collected with a Mitutoyo precision pachymetry, and a compass, among thereference points previously standardized. The collected data were submitted to the statistical analysis. Theresults of this research demonstrated that there was a significant difference between the measures of right andleft FPMs in relation to the interpalatine suture. In most of the craniums, the FPM was located closer to thethird molar. The masculine craniums presented dimensions significantly larger than the feminine craniumsand, except for the distance between left FPM and the incisive foramen, all the other distances from the FPMto the points taken as reference can be considered to be considered in order to estimate the sex. It can beconcluded that the results found diverged in relation to some of the literature reviewed. Some new studiedare suggested, mainly studies that consider the incisive foramen and the maxillary tuber as reference points todefine the topography of the larger palatine foramen.
