| Tensor veli palatini muscle | |
|---|---|
 Dissection of the muscles of the palate from behind (tensor veli palatini visible at upper right). | |
 The otic ganglion and its branches (tensor veli palatini visible at center left). | |
| Details | |
| Origin | Medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone (scaphoid fossa) |
| Insertion | Palatine aponeurosis |
| Nerve | Mandibular nerve (V3) |
| Actions | Tension of the soft palate |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | musculus tensor veli palatini |
| TA98 | A05.2.01.103 |
| TA2 | 2129 |
| FMA | 46730 |
| Anatomical terms of muscle | |
The tensor veli palatini muscle (tensor palati or tensor muscle of the velum palatinum) is a thin, triangular muscle of the head that tenses the soft palate and opens the Eustachian tube to equalise pressure in the middle ear.