Nasalance scores in wearers of a palatal lift prosthesis in comparison with normative data for Japanese.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to examine whether nasalance score is changed in association with placement of a palatal lift prosthesis (PLP) and whether normative data previously reported are applicable to evaluate the effect of a PLP on velopharyngeal function as it relates to nasality.


METHODS
Nasalance scores were obtained as subjects read the Kitsutsuki Passage three times with the PLP in place and then removed.


METHODS
Forty-three children (mean age 9.0 years, SD = 3.6 years) with repaired cleft palate who were treated with a PLP were selected as subjects. Their speech was characterized by nasal emission of air, slight hypernasality without a PLP but within normal limits with a PLP in place, or both.


METHODS
Comparisons were made between normative scores and the average mean nasalance score of subjects with and without the PLP.


RESULTS
Average values of the mean nasalance score for subjects were 17.3% (SD 7.6%) with the PLP in place and 33.5% (SD 13.3%) without the PLP in place. These scores were greater than the mean score of 9.1% (SD 3.9%) obtained from normal controls previously reported.


CONCLUSIONS
A PLP can decrease nasalance scores for speakers with repaired cleft palate who exhibit velopharyngeal incompetence. It was suggested that the normative score obtained from normal adult speakers is not applicable to evaluate the effect of a PLP to improve velopharyngeal function for children wearing the PLP.
Tachimura
Takashi
T
Division of Functional Oral Neuroscience, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan. tatimura@dent.osaka-u.ac.jp
Kotani
Yasuko
Y
Wada
Takeshi
T
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D012016:Reference Values; D013062:Speech Articulation Tests; D014681:Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*