Growth of the pharynx and its physiologic implications

The bony nasopharynx increases its capacity predominantly by means of vertical development. Analogous to the facial structures is an expression of some somatotopic features that give rise to a higher and more shallow pharyngeal dimension in the dolichocephalic growth pattern. The nasopharynx's ultimate patency, however, depends on the growth and relative size of the soft tissues that line the skeletal boundaries. A decreased patency of the oropharyngeal airway can induce some postural adaptations, which secure a constant sagittal dimension at that level. However, at a certain critical point, purely nasal respiration will be turned into an oronasal breathing pattern, which in turn will elicit more compensatory mechanisms. This muscle recruitment is a possible cause of a deviant vertical craniofacial growth pattern.