Application of a nasal speaking valve in a patient with a digitally fabricated obturator provided after a maxillectomy: A clinical report on hypernasality management.

A patient with a maxillectomy and persistent hypernasality despite wearing a digitally fabricated obturator and receiving speech therapy was treated with a nasal speaking valve (NSV) adjunct. Using speech intelligibility tests, the Kumakura Speech Handicap Index-7, nasalance scores, and the blowing test, speech outcomes were assessed under 3 conditions: without a prosthesis, with digitally fabricated obturator alone, and with the combined use of an obturator and NSV. The combined use of the obturator and NSV improved speech intelligibility and reduced hypernasality, suggesting clinical benefit for this adjunct in rehabilitation.