![The palate is a structure that forms the roof of the mouth.](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/article/main_image/types-of-cleft-palate.jpg?output-quality=75)
The palate is a structure that forms the roof of the mouth. It is divided into two separate parts, namely, the “hard palate” and “soft palate.” The hard and soft palates separate the mouth (oral cavity) from the nasal cavity.
What is the hard palate?
The hard palate makes up the front of the roof of the mouth and two-thirds of the palate. It contains the palatine bone and provides the mouth its normal structure. It is the one that allows space for the tongue to move around while speaking and chewing food.
Why is hard palate resection done?
Hard palate resection is a surgery to remove some part of the palate. It is most commonly performed for the excision of cancerous (malignant) and non-cancerous (benign) tumors of the hard palate.
Other reasons for performing hard palate resection include:
- Alleviating the complications of a tumor that compromise the function of the oral cavity.
- Facial reconstruction such as in cases of the eyelid, lip, and nasal deformities.
What makes you unfit for hard palate resection?
Not every patient can undergo hard palate resection. Following can make you unfit for the surgery:
- Inability to tolerate general anesthesia
- Extensive lesions that may require extensive surgery
- Tumors that may be more appropriately treated with other treatments (local irradiation and/or chemotherapy)
What is done before hard palate resection?
Your doctor will ask you to stop blood-thinning medications such as aspirin and warfarin a few days before the surgery.
You will be admitted to the hospital a night prior to the surgery and will have to fast for 8-12 hours before the surgery. If you are on any medications that the doctor has advised you to continue (such as medications for diabetes), you must inform the doctor who will perform your surgery.
How is hard palate resection performed?
The doctor will administer antibiotics through your vein. They will give you general anesthesia that will make you sleep throughout the procedure.
A mouth gag is inserted to retract the tongue for a better view of the hard palate.
Next, the doctor will inject a local anesthetic into the hard palate to numb it and make the procedure less painful for you.
The affected area of the hard palate will be cut (resected). A portion of the bone may also be resected if required.
Space (defect) in the hard palate may be filled by transplanting tissue from your mouth, arm, thigh, and shoulder or from another person’s palate (donor). This tissue is known as flap, and the procedure is known as tissue reconstruction.
The wound will be cleaned and sutured.
![](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/quiz/human-body/human-body-s1.jpg)
QUESTION
What percentage of the human body is water? See AnswerWhat happens after hard palate resection?
You will be shifted to the ward and observed for several hours after the surgery.
You will feel drowsy for several hours to 1 day while recovering from general anesthesia.
Pain will be present for at least 7-14 days after the surgery. However, it usually improves by 2 weeks following the surgery. You will be prescribed strong pain medications such as narcotic painkillers after the surgery to alleviate the pain.
It is normal to face difficulty in swallowing for a few days after the surgery. For this, you will be allowed to drink only clear liquids as tolerated on the same day or after 4-5 days (depending upon the surgery).
Make sure you have a good intake of fluids to avoid dehydration. You should be able to resume your regular diet 14 days after the surgery. During this period of recovery, avoid hard and dried foods such as nuts and chips, which can cause pain and increase your risk of bleeding.
Elevating your head by 30-45° reduces oral swelling after the surgery.
Avoid strenuous physical activity such as lifting weights and heavy workouts for 3 weeks after the surgery.
You may have chewing or taste differences after the surgery. Get such and other apprehensions, if any, cleared from your doctor.
Health News
- One Death, 10 Hospitalizations in Listeria Outbreak Tied to Peaches, Plums
- Charity Scams Get Active Over the Holidays: Expert Tips to Avoid Them
- Too Few Seniors Get Follow-up Care After a Serious Fall
- AI Could Predict a Nonsmoker's Risk for Lung Cancer
- Breast Cancer Rates Higher in Urban vs. Rural Areas
More Health News »
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Palate Surgery - What to Expect. Available at: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-treatments/p/palate-surgery/what-to-expect.html#
Top What Do the Hard and Soft Palate Separate? Related Articles
Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)
Dry mouth is a common side effect of many prescription and non-prescription drugs and certain medical conditions. Symptoms of dry mouth include a sticky, dry feeling in the mouth, frequent thirst, sores in the mouth; sores or split skin at the corners of the mouth, cracked lips, a dry feeling in the throat, a burning or tingling sensation in the mouth, and a dry, red, raw tongue.Mouth Guards
There are three types of mouth guards: stock mouth protectors, boil and bite mouth protectors, and custom-fitted mouth protectors. Custom mouth guards provide the most comfort and protection and offer the best fit; they are made from a hard, durable material that is molded to your teeth. They function to protect the teeth from sports injuries and grinding during sleeping (bruxism).Mouth Problems: TMJ, Canker Sores, Painful Gums and More
Sores, painful gums, bad breath -- what's going on in your mouth? Find out with our slideshow of the most common mouth problems. Learn about canker sores, cold sores, oral thrush, TMJ, and oral cancer. See what treatments for bad breath and other dental problems are available from your dentist.