The investigation of pharyngeal airway space by cephalogram landmarks in primary school children in Taiwan

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Proper breathing is essential to healthy growth and development of children. The present study aimed to investigate changes in the pharyngeal airway space in primary-school children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cephalometric radiographs were obtained from 93 primary-school children, who were divided into three age groups (Group I, aged 7–8 years; Group II, aged 9–10 years; and Group III, aged 11–12 years). Landmarks identified on each cephalogram included the tip of the uvula (U), hyoid bone (H), and epiglottis (E). Linear and angular measurements comprised nasopharyngeal airway (NP); PS (shortest distance from the soft palate to the pharyngeal wall); UP (distance from the tip of the uvula to the pharyngeal wall); TS (shortest distance from the posterior tongue to the pharyngeal wall); EP (distance, parallel to the X-axis, from the epiglottis to the pharyngeal wall). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance and Pearson correlation tests. RESULTS: Group III had the highest values for all the variables. The three groups exhibited significant differences for all pharyngeal airway variables, except for EP. The three groups had significantly different vertical U, H, and E. There were positive correlations between age and NP, PS, UP, and TS; however, no significant correlation was observed between age and EP. Age significantly correlated with the vertical U, E, and H. Correlations between age and the horizontal U, E, and H were nonsignificant. CONCLUSION: Among primary-school children from various grades, age significantly correlated with all pharyngeal airway variables, except with EP.