Pterygoid hamulus

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title: "Pterygoid hamulus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["bones-of-the-head-and-neck"] description: "Hook-like process of the sphenoid bone of the skull" topic_path: "general/bones-of-the-head-and-neck" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterygoid_hamulus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Hook-like process of the sphenoid bone of the skull ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox bone"]

Field	Value
Name	Pterygoid hamulus
Latin	hamulus pterygoideus
Image	File:Gray146.png
Caption	Sphenoid bone. Anterior and inferior surfaces. (Hamulus labeled at bottom left.)
Image2	File:Gray194.png
Caption2	Sagittal section of skull. (Sphenoid is in yellow, and pterygoid hamulus labeled at bottom center.)
PartOf	Sphenoid bone of skull
System	Skeletal
::

| Name = Pterygoid hamulus | Latin = hamulus pterygoideus | Image = File:Gray146.png | Caption = Sphenoid bone. Anterior and inferior surfaces. (Hamulus labeled at bottom left.) | Image2 = File:Gray194.png | Caption2 = Sagittal section of skull. (Sphenoid is in yellow, and pterygoid hamulus labeled at bottom center.) | PartOf = Sphenoid bone of skull | System = Skeletal The pterygoid hamulus is a hook-like process at the lower extremity of the medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone of the skull. It is the superior origin of the pterygomandibular raphe, and the tensor veli palatini muscle courses around it before inserting into the palatine aponeurosis.

Structure

The pterygoid hamulus is part of the medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone of the skull. Its tip is rounded off. It has an average length of 7.2 mm, an average depth of 1.4 mm, and an average width of 2.3 mm. The tendon of tensor veli palatini muscle glides around it.

Function

The pterygoid hamulus is the superior origin of the pterygomandibular raphe.

Clinical significance

Rarely, the pterygoid hamulus may be enlarged, which may cause mouth pain.

References

References

1. (1 January 1999). "Functional morphology of the pterygoid hamulus". [[Anatomischer Anzeiger]].
2. (2001). "A case of elongated pterygoid hamulus syndrome". Oral Diseases.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::