This study was carried out to investigate the factors influencing to the results of speech aid appliance and the indications of it, examining the improvement of speech and velopharyngeal function, and asking the patient's adaptation by means of opinionaire.
The subjects of this study consisted of 92 patients with cleft lip and palate, and congenital velopharyngeal incompetence.
As a result, following conclusions were obtained.
1. Good results were obtained in cases having well-shaped soft palate under 4 years old, and taking speech aid appliance under 7 years.
2. Poor results were obtained in cases having ill-shaped soft palate, treated at older age, and associated with little movements of the lateral pharyngeal walls.
3. In 26 cases (28.3 %), speech aid appliances were removed as the result of good velopharyngeal closure, almost of them were treated at early age.
4. As the complaints of patients for speech aid appliance, unsuitable feeling, contact pain, decrease of appetite, hearing loss, snore, and inconvenience were recognized, but they were very few.
5. In 24 cases (26.1 %), speech aid appliance were reconstructed due to unsuitability and breakage.
6. As the other therapy, operations were desired in 13 cases (20.6 %) of the patients with good result, and 1 case (7.7 %) with poor result.
