Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the pharyngeal airway space (PAS) in nasal and mouthbreathing children using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods: Volume, area, minimum axial area and linear measurements (PAS-NL, PAS-UP, PAS-OccL, PASUT, PAS-Bgo, PAS-ML, PAS-TP) of the pharyngeal airway of 50 children (mean age 9.16 years) were
obtained from the CBCT images. The means and standard deviations were compared according to sexes
(28 male and 22 female) and breathers patterns (25 nasal breathers and 25 mouth breathers).

Results: There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between all variables when
compared by sexes. Comparisons between nasal and mouth breathers showed significant differences
only in two linear measurements: PAS-OccL (p < 0.001) and PAS-UP (P < 0.05). Airway volume
(p < 0.001), area (p < 0.001) and minimum axial area (p < 0.01) had significant differences between the
groups.

Conclusions: The CBCT evaluation showed that pharyngeal airway dimensions were significantly greater
in nasal-breathers than in mouth-breathers

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Matheus Alves Jr., Carolina Baratieri, Lincoln I. Nojima, Matilde C.G. Nojima, Antoˆnio C.O. Ruellas

This article originally appeared in International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology