Glottis and Epiglottis

Glottis and Epiglottis are two different parts of the larynx that help you with verbal and non-verbal communication. Glottis is a part of the vocal apparatus that is situated on the front part of your throat. It consists of vocal folds (thyroid cartilage) also known as vocal cords. These folds are responsible for producing vibrations in the form of sounds, while they remain open while inhaling, and partly close while exhaling to create a high or low pitch sound respectively. Epiglottis occurs on the backside; this is where food enters your throat when you swallow or drink through your nose. This article will highlight the concept of Glottis and Epiglottis in brief along with their differences.

What is Glottis?

Glottis is a passage in your larynx that leads to the voice box, where the vocal folds are situated. Glottis is formed of two paired cartilage sheets, these are known as vocal folds. The vocal folds while closed produce vibrations (sound). Glottis serves many functions such as: – 

• To direct your breath through the larynx and over vocal folds
• To focus your noise in the appropriate place
• It has an important role in phonation (articulation of voice)
• It helps in protection by closing off the airway from food and allows it to be penetrated by solids and liquids only

What is Epiglottis?

Epiglottis is a flap situated on the backside of the larynx that covers the larynx opening preventing food from entering your trachea tube, which leads to the lungs. Epiglottis also forms a lid that prevents the entry of foreign bodies into your trachea tract which may cause choking. Epiglottis is an important structure on the backside of the larynx; it lies between your larynx and trachea. Epiglottis serves many functions such as: – 

•  Preventing food to enter the trachea by closing
• Closing when you swallow or inhale through your nose
• It forms a lid to cover the entrance of food or liquid into the trachea
• It has an important role in protecting by closing off the airway from food and allows it to be penetrated by solids and liquids only

Glottis and Epiglottis: Difference

Some of the key differences are:

1. Glottis is located in the front part of your throat whereas Epiglottis is located in the back part of your throat.
2. Glottis produces vibrations or sounds that are passed through the larynx to the voice box or vocal tract. The epiglottis protects food from entering into the trachea and helps in the closure of the airway.
3. Glottis has a complex shape whereas epiglottis is simple in shape.
4. Glottis is made of cartilage whereas epiglottis is made of elastic fibers.
5. Epiglottis is small in size while the glottis comprises two vocal folds and the area between them is known as inter-arytenoid space.
6. Glottis is free to move as it is situated on your larynx whereas epiglottis is fixed in one place and can only move a little bit.
7. Glottis has an opening at the base of it whereas epiglottis has no opening.
8. Epiglottis is formed of elastic fibers and cartilage whereas glottis is formed of two vocal folds.
9. The glottis can be closed which means the airway is blocked by the epiglottis which in turn blocks the airway from entering into trachea and lungs.
10. Epiglottis moves more than the glottic space in your larynx while breathing through your nose, this movement can be seen as Valsalva maneuver (inhalation).
11. Glottis is round in shape while epiglottis is much more square in shape.
12. Epiglottis has a flap while the glottis may be small or large and may be flat in shape.
13. Another difference between the two structures is that epiglottis is much more elastic and can move very little therefore it forms a lid to cover the entrance of food or liquid into the trachea.

Conclusion

Glottis and Epiglottis are two different parts of the larynx that help you with verbal and non-verbal communication. Glottis is a part of the vocal apparatus that is situated on the front part of your throat. It consists of vocal folds also known as vocal cords. These folds are responsible for producing vibrations in the form of sounds, while they remain open while inhaling, and partly close while exhaling to create a high or low pitch sound respectively. On the contrary, Epiglottis occurs on the backside; this is where food enters your throat when you swallow or drink through your nose. This article has highlighted the concept of Glottis and Epiglottis in brief along with their differences.