Maturation of the Female Pharyngeal Airway from Adolescence to Adulthood

Abstract

Background: The present study aimed to investigate developmental changes in the female pharyngeal airway from adolescence to adulthood, considering variations in the anatomical structures related to the airway dimensions. Methods: Lateral cephalograms of 214 females were analyzed and categorized into five developmental stages: early adolescence (10–13 years), middle adolescence (14–17 years), late adolescence (18–21 years), early adulthood (22–30 years), and middle adulthood (31–50 years). The focus of the analysis included the point A-Nasion-point B (ANB) angle, tongue pharyngeal airway space (TPS), epiglottis pharyngeal airway space (EPS), soft palate airway space (SPS), and the horizontal and vertical positions of the hyoid bone. Results: The ANB angle exhibited significant variation across groups, being significantly larger in the early-adolescence group (4.22°) compared to the middle-adolescence, late-adolescence, and early-adulthood groups. The TPS and EPS were significantly shorter in the early-adolescence group. Negative correlations were observed between the ANB angle and the lengths of the pharyngeal airway spaces (SPS, TPS, and EPS). The horizontal and vertical positions of the hyoid bone remained stable after middle adolescence. Conclusion: The maturation of the ANB angle and pharyngeal airway in females seems nearly completed during middle adolescence (14–17 years). Additionally, a significant and negative correlation was identified between the ANB angle and the lengths of various pharyngeal airway spaces (SPS, TPS, and EPS). The horizontal and vertical positions of the hyoid bone showed stability after middle adolescence.