Reliability of the fovea palatini for determining the posterior border of the maxillary denture.

A study was carried out to measure the distance between the fovea palatini and the vibrating line. 1. The nose-blowing method appears to be an accurate method for locating the fovea palatini and the vibrating line. 2. Seventy percent of the subjects observed in this study had two fovea palatini. 3. When present, the fovea palatini of 25% of the subjects lay directly on the vibrating line. 4. In 7% of the subjects the fovea palatini were located within 1 to 2 mm posterior to the vibrating line, in 18.8% within 2 to 3 mm posterior to the vibrating line, in 27.1% within 3 to 4 mm posterior to the vibrating line, in 16% within 4 to 5 mm posterior to the vibrating line, in 4.9% within 5 to 6 mm posterior to the vibrating line, and in 1.4% more than 6 mm posterior to the vibrating line. 5. The fovea palatini are unreliable guides for locating the center portion of the posterior border of the maxillary denture.