Effect of Prosthodontic Rehabilitation of Maxillary Defects on Hypernasality of Speech.

PURPOSE: To establish a correlation between the effective internal diameter of the maxillary defect, the resonating frequency, and the effectiveness of the definitive obturator in reducing the percentage nasality.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Twenty-nine patients who underwent maxillectomy confined only to the hard palate (Aramany's class I and class II defect) and were wearing a definitive obturator for at least 3 months were included. The percentage nasality and resonating frequency were calculated with the help of Praat software. The patients were asked to read out a "Rainbow" passage and also to phonate and articulate vowels. Both parameters were assessed with and without the obturator prosthesis.

RESULTS

Following obturator use, a mean change of 1.07 ± 0.83 kHz was observed in the resonating frequency (p < 0.001). The percentage change in resonating frequency was found to be 27.48 ± 4.99% following obturator use (p < 0.001). The effective internal diameter of the maxillary defect was calculated with the help of a Vernier calliper. The correlation between absolute and percentage values of resonating frequency and nasality before and after obturator use was found to be negative.

CONCLUSION

This study found that efficacy of the obturator prosthesis in reducing nasality was greater in smaller defects than in large defects.