Abstract
The effectiveness of a palatal augmentation prosthesis （PAP） for dysarthria and dysphagia in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis （ALS） has been reported. However, it is challenging to decide on the intervention of PAP therapy depending on the severity, oral function, and progression of ALS. Therefore, we investigated the oral function and the necessity of PAP in patients with ALS who visited the Dental Division of the Center for Dysphagia in Tohoku University Hospital.
Twenty-eight patients with ALS underwent various function examinations from July 2020 to June 2021. The analysis items included various oral function tests, the swallowing item of the Hyodo score, and whether PAP was needed.
Twelve patients with limb onset and 16 with bulbar onset were enrolled. Five patients were diagnosed as requiring PAP. The patients who required PAP and those who did not were significantly different in the maximum tongue pressure and oral diadochokinesis （/ta/, /ka/）.
The need for PAP was closely related to tongue functions such as maximal tongue pressure and oral diadochokinesis （/ta/, /ka/）. Conversely, it is essential to evaluate swallowing function, including the effect of PAP and ALS progression.
