title: Comparison of 3 bonded lingual appliances by auditive analysis and subjective assessment.
abstract: The aim of this prospective study was to compare for the first time the influences of lingual appliances of different dimensions on sound performance and oral comfort. The study group comprised 12 subjects (10 women, 2 men; mean age, 33.96 years). Their sound production was recorded by means of a digital audio tape recorder before, 10 minutes after, and 24 hours after placement of the different appliances for semiobjective assessment by 3 blinded speech professionals. This was followed by supplementary subjective ratings of sound performance and oral comfort by the patients. All lingual appliances induced significant impairment in sound performance and oral comfort. However, they varied significantly with respect to the degree of impairment. The smaller the appliance, the less pronounced the impairments it induced. The smallest changes were induced by a bonded canine-to-canine retainer, followed by customized lingual brackets and prefabricated lingual brackets. By using lower-profile customized brackets, the orthodontist can significantly enhance patient comfort and significantly reduce impairments of sound performance in comparison with prefabricated brackets with larger dimensions. Before placing a lingual appliance, however, patients should be briefed on possible effects such as impaired sound production and decreased oral comfort.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Muenster University Hospital, Westphalian Wilhelms-University, Waldeyerstrasse 30, D-48129 Muenster, Germany. hohoffa@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Ariane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hohoff
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stamm
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goder
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sauerland
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ehmer
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seifert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001184:Articulation Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016382:Orthodontic Appliance Design; D009967:Orthodontic Appliances / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018704:Orthodontic Retainers / Q000009:adverse effects; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010969:Plastics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics