Pterygoid hamulus

The pterygoid hamulus is a slender bony extension located at the lower end of the medial pterygoid plate's posterior border. It curves outward, featuring a groove for the tensor veli palatini muscle’s tendon. The muscle fibers of the tensor veli palatini run downward along the outside of the medial pterygoid plate. They make a sharp right angle turn around the hamulus and then extend horizontally toward the centerline, creating the palatine aponeurosis of the soft palate.

In addition, the pterygoid hamulus acts as the anchor point for the pterygomandibular raphe, which is a structure that provides an attachment point for both the buccinator muscle and the superior constrictor muscle of the pharynx.