Improving the speech with a prosthetic construction

A 12-year-old boy had problems with his speech due to a defect in the soft palate. This defect was caused by the surgical removal of a synovial sarcoma. Testing with a nasometer revealed hypernasality above normal values. Given the size and severity of the defect in the soft palate, the possibility of improving the speech with speech therapy was limited. At a centre for special dentistry an attempt was made with a prosthetic construction to improve the performance of the palate and, in that way, the speech. This construction consisted of a denture with an obturator attached to it. With it, an effective closure of the palate could be achieved. New measurements with acoustic nasometry showed scores within the normal values. The nasality in the speech largely disappeared. The obturator is an effective and relatively easy solution for palatal insufficiency resulting from surgical resection. Intrusive reconstructive surgery can be avoided in this way. Publisher: Abstract available from the publisher. dut