Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026

Hemi-laryngeal Setup for Studying Vocal Fold Vibration in Three Dimensions
Published on: November 25, 2017
Sagittal area of the vocal tract in young female children
Margaret Denny1, Richard S McGowan
1CReSS LLC, Lexington, MA 02420, USA. rsmcgowan@cressllc.net
Objective:
To measure the sagittal areas of the front and back cavities of the vocal tract in children acquiring speech.
Patients And Methods:
Ten female children were selected from the Serial Experimental collection of the Burlington Growth Centre in Toronto, Canada. Each of the 10 children was seen annually from ages 3 through 8. Data collections included lateral cephalograms in occlusion. We traced those cephalograms and identified landmarks to delineate the front and back cavities. The sagittal areas of the front and back cavities were calculated. A measure of the angle of the head to the cervical vertebrae was made.
Results:
Front cavities were larger and grew faster. For both front and back cavities, age, angle measure, and the interaction of age and angle measure were significant.
Conclusion:
Space available for the tongue to maneuver is greater anteriorly than posteriorly even when the jaw is maximally elevated.
Related Concept Videos
Larynx
Anatomy of the Larynx
The larynx consists of various components, including cartilage, muscles, and vocal cords. Its structure includes three large unpaired cartilages—the thyroid, cricoid, and epiglottis—and three smaller paired cartilages—the arytenoids, corniculates, and...
Pharynx
Nasopharynx
The nasopharynx, bordered by the conchae of the nasal cavity, serves exclusively as an air conduit. In its superior region, the pharyngeal tonsils or adenoids are located. These tonsils are clusters of lymphoid reticular tissue akin to a lymph node. The precise...
Physical Assessment of the Respiratory Tract IV: Auscultation
Breath Sounds
Breath sounds are categorized into vesicular, bronchovesicular, and bronchial.
Anatomy of Respiratory System I: Upper Respiratory Tract
Nose and nasal cavity
The nose and nasal cavity represent the main external openings of the respiratory tract.
Anatomy of Respiratory System II: Lower Respiratory Tract
The Larynx
It is located between the pharynx and the trachea, acts as a passageway for air, and hosts several critical structures, such as the epiglottis, vocal cords, and glottis. The epiglottis acts as a gateway, guiding food to the...
Physical Assessment of the Respiratory Tract II: Palpation
Thoracic Palpation
Thoracic palpation detects tenderness, masses, lesions, respiratory excursions, and vocal fremitus. The nurse assesses...

