This session will present clinical pearls for diagnosing and treating orthognathic surgical patients with speech distortions. Patients with Dentofacial Disharmonies (DFD) present with a 20-fold higher prevalence of speech disorders than the general public; recent data indicate that severity of malocclusion correlates with degree of speech distortion, suggesting causation. Our longitudinal studies of DFD patients have found significant improvements in speech after surgical orthodontic treatment. These results will be presented, with an emphasis on clinical recommendations to guide management of DFD patients with speech issues, by orthodontists acting as a referral lead with oral surgeons and speech pathologists.
Learning Objectives:
After this session, attendees will be able to:
Understand the clinical presentation, psychosocial impacts and prevalence of speech distortions experienced by surgical orthodontic patients.
Describe how severe malocclusions impact speech production, and how changing jaw and tooth position through orthodontics and/or orthognathic surgery can improve articulation errors.
Diagnose, advise, and treat surgical orthodontic patients who present with speech distortions, in a multi-disciplinary team with oral surgery and speech pathology to address patients' speech, esthetic and occlusal concerns.
