2009 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 1-5
Closure of surgical defects of the maxilla with free flaps is considered to be clinically important in order to physically separate the oral and nasal cavities. However, bulky flaps often disturb not only speech but also the fabrication of prostheses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the speech of patients reconstructed with free flaps. Six patients participated in this study. Speech and conversation intelligibility and a blowing test were performed with and without their prostheses. Scores for the speech evaluation showed a clinically relevant level independent of the insertion of the prostheses. Articulation analyses revealed lateral articulations and alveolar sounds in flap reconstructed patients, and the prostheses improved these sound articulations in several cases. It is suggested that speech evaluation for flap reconstructed patients after maxillary resection is important and that an appropriate palatal design of the prosthesis should be considered.
