Abstract Objective. The hypothesis of the present study is that the inter-relationship between the greater palatine foramen (stable structure) and the first maxillary molar, which is located in the growing and forward-moving maxilla, expresses the longitudinal growth of the maxilla. Materials and methods. The material comprised 25 human anthropological maxillae, normally developed and without tooth agenesis. The material was sub-grouped according to dental stages. Each sample was photographed in the occlusal view and two transverse reference lines were constructed, one connecting the palatine foramina and another connecting the lingual interlobal incisions in the first permanent molars. The perpendicular distance (T) between these two lines expressed the distance between the foramen and the first molar. Results. The T-distance increased markedly between the stages where the first, second and third molars had erupted. The study also showed that the greater palatine foramen was located palatally to the first molar in the stage where only the first molar had erupted, palatally to the second molar when this molar had erupted and palatally to the third molar when this molar had erupted. Conclusion. This study shows that the greater palatine foramen is located close to the most posterior located and erupted permanent molar in normally developed dentitions without agenesis. This information may be valuable for dentists when applying local anesthetics. Furthermore, the study revealed a growth pattern in the maxilla, which may reflect the etiology behind crowding in the maxillary molar region.