The palatal vault is the curvature of the maxillary palate, also called the hard palate. The growth of the maxilla (upper jaw) and the hard palate is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors, and begins transversely. Then, it grows in length and finally in height. The overall shape of the palatal vault can impact chewing and swallowing, sucking, breathing, and language articulation. Narrow or high palates are associated with a variety of health conditions, and oral habits like thumb sucking can cause structural abnormalities in the palate over time. The hard palate is of particular significance to orthodontists, who often need to modify palatal dimensions of dental orthotic devices, such as retainers or dentures, to provide the best fit to patients. The height of the palatal vault increases with age, and male palatal vaults tend to be higher than those of their female counterparts of the same age.