Tensor veli palatini-the tensor veli palatini muscle descends from the base of the skull at a point adjacent to the eustachian tube, courses around the hamulus of the pterygoid, and then forms a broad aponeurosis with the contralateral muscle within the anterior soft palate.the levator veli palatini passes posterior to the pterygoid hamulus and creates a muscular sling that is critical to palatal function. the palatoglossus and palatopharyngeus muscles are components of the palate but do not pass around the hamulus. the musculus uvula is confined within the soft palate and acts to alter the shape of the uvula.
