• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.36 no.2 s.115
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• pp.161-169
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate cephalometrically the short term static velopharyngeal changes in 25 patients (10 boys and 15 girls, aged from 5 years 9 months to 12 years 10 months in the beginning of treatment) with skeletal Class III malocclusions who underwent nonsurgical maxillary protraction therapy with a facemask. The linear, angular and ratio measurements were made on lateral cephalograms. Only the change in hard palatal plane angle was negatively correlated with the change in maxillary depth or N-perp to A (p<0.01). The change in velar angle showed a statistically significant increase (p<0.001). This change was influenced more by the soft palatal plane angle than by the hard palatal plane angle (p<0.001). The changes in soft tissue nasopharyngeal depth and hard tissue nasopharyngeal depth showed statistically significant increases (p<0.001). Correlations between the changes in soft tissue (or hard tissue) nasopharyngeal depth and the change in soft palatal plane angle were significant (p<0.05). The increase in hard palate length was statistically significant (p<0.001). The change in hard palate length was negatively correlated with the change in soft tissue nasopharyngeal depth (p<0.05). The change in need ratio S (C) showed a statistically significant increase (p<0.001). But this difference was within the normal range reported by previous studies. These findings indicate that the velopharyngeal competence was maintained even if the anatomical condition of the static velopharyngeal area were changed after maxillary protraction.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.41
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• pp.19.1-19.6
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• 2019

Background: The submucous cleft palate (SMCP) is a type of cleft palate that may result in velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). Palate muscles completely separate oral and nasal cavities by closing off the velopharynx during functional processes such as speech or swallow. Also, hypernasality may arise from anatomical or neurological abnormalities in these functions. Treatments of this issue involve a combination of surgical intervention, speech aid, and speech therapy. This case report demonstrates successfully treated VPI resulted from SMCP without any surgical intervention but solely with speech aid appliance and speech therapy. Case presentation: A 13-year-old female patient with a speech disorder from velopharyngeal insufficiency that was caused by a submucous cleft palate visited to our OMFS clinic. In the intraoral examination, the patient had a short soft palate and bifid uvula. And the muscles in the palate did not contract properly during oral speech. She had no surgical history such as primary palatoplasty or pharyngoplasty except for tonsillectomy. And there were no other medical histories. Objective speech assessment using nasometer was performed. We diagnosed that the patient had a SMCP. The patient has shown a decrease in speech intelligibility, which resulted from hypernasality. We decided to treat the patient with speech aid (palatal lift) along with speech therapy. During the 7-month treatment, hypernasality measured by a nasometer decreased and speech intelligibility became normal. Conclusions: Surgery remains the first treatment option for patients with velopharyngeal insufficiencies from submucous cleft palates. However, there were few reports about objective speech evaluation pre- or post-operation. Moreover, there has been no report of non-surgical treatment in the recent studies. From this perspective, this report of objective improvement of speech intelligibility of VPI patient with SMCP by non-surgical treatment has a significant meaning. Speech aid can be considered as one of treatment options for management of SMCP.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.14 no.1_2
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• pp.1-21
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• 1992

In order to find the causes of velopharyngeal incompetency after primary palatorrhaphy in cleft patients, we analyzed the form and function of the velopharyngeal space of fifteen operated cleft palate patients and five normal subjects. The velopharyngeal function was evaluated by lateral cephalometric radiography, velopharyngography and hypernasality cul-de-sac test. The obtained results were as follows. 1. The rate of velopharyngeal incompetency was twenty percent, three of the fifteen operated patients. Two of them were complete cleft palate and the other was incomplete one. 2. The length of soft palate and levator eminence were longer in normal group than those of good speech group and complete cleft palate group during phonation of /i/ (P<0.05). The lengthening rate of soft palate was smaller in good and poor speech group than that of normal group(P<0.05), and, reduced in order, normal group, complete cleft palate group and incomplete palate group(P<0.05). 3. The nasopharyngeal distance had no significant difference between all groups at rest, but, smaller in normal group than that of both cleft palate group(P<0.05), good speech group and poor speech group(P<0.05) during phonation of /i/ The difference in nasopharyngeal distance between rest and /i/ phonation was greater in normal group than that of both cleft palate group, good speech group and poor speech group. 4. The moving distance of sop palate reduced in order, normal group, incomplete cleft palate group, complete cleft palate group(P<0.05). 5. The distance between lateral pharyngeal wall had no significant difference between all groups in rest, but, smaller than that of complete cleft palate group in normal group(P<0.01) and increased in order normal group, good speech group, poor speech group(P<0.01) during phonation of /a/. The mobility of lateral wall was reduced in order, normal group, good speech group poor speech group(P<0. 01). 6. There was low corelationship between the mobility of lateral pharyngeal wall and soft palate. Therfore, it suggest that the movements of lateral pharyngeal wall and soft palate occurs independently.

• Proceedings of The Korean Cleft Lip And Palate Association
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• 2002.02a
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• pp.61-63
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• 2002

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.168-172
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• 1998

Several kinds of surgical methods have been used to treat the submucous cleft palate with hypernasality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the double opposing Z-plasty which is one of the newly established surgical methods by Dr. Furlow in three cases of submucous cleft palate with hypernasality operated in this department. There were a number of advantage of double opposing Z-plasty. The surgery is adaptable for use in early patient. Midfacial growth retardation and complication were not seen in all cases. Hypernasality was improved subjectively. Using the nasometer, the nasalance score of the postoperative period was compared with that of before surgery, much improvement were noted in 'Ah', 'PaPa'. And fiberoptic endoscope was used to evaluate the velopharyngeal closure pattern. Velopharyngeal closure pattern with velum was improved dramatically, Double opposing Z-plasty seem to be a good procedure for the treatment of submucous cleft palate with hypernasality.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.3-14
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• 2002

VPI occurs when the velum and lateral and posterior pharyngeal wall fail to separate the nasal cavity from the oral cavity during deglutition and speech. There are a number of congenital and acquired conditions which result in VPI. Congenital conditions include cleft palate, submucous cleft palate and congenital palatal insufficiency (CPI). Acquired conditions include carcinoma of the palate or pharynx and neurologic disorders. The speech characteristics of VPI is characterized by hypernasality, nasal air emission, decreased intraoral air pressure, increased nasal air flow, decreased intelligibility. VPI can be treated with various methods that include speech therapy, surgical procedures to reduce the velopharyngeal gap, speech aid prosthesis, and combination of surgery and prosthesis. This article describes four cases of VPI treated by speech aid prosthesis and speech therapy with satisfactory result.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.73-82
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• 2000

The perceptual judgement of nasality is still used in the assessment of velopharyngeal incompetence, but it should not be the sole criterion for speech nasality. Objective procedures may be used to assess velopharyngeal function, for example, nasometer, aerodynamics, x-ray, electromyography, nasoendoscopy, and videofluoroscopy can be utilized. The nasometer employs noninvasive measurement methods and measures with high levels of accuracy. The aim of this study was to obtain comprehensive nasalance data for Korean children, aged 7 years, and to investigate any gender differences within that age group. The results were as follow: 1. Statistically, gender has no significant effect on the nasalance of vowels /a/, /i/, /o/, /u/, /je/, /wi/) but the nasalance of the vowels /e/, /ja/) was higher in males (p<0.05). 2. There was no statistically significant effect of gender in plosives /p/, /ph/, /p'/, /t/, /th/, /t'/, /k/, /kh/, /k'/), affricatives /c/, /ch/, /c'/), and fricatives /s/, /s'/, /$\int$/). 3. The nasalance of the nasal consonants, /m/, /n/, /an/) is higher in males and only /n/, /an/ were statistically significant (p<0.05).

• Proceedings of the KSLP Conference
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• 2012.03a
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• pp.28-28
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• 2012

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-2
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• 2018

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.286-290
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• 2016

Recently, flexible removable prosthesis with thermoplastic resin clasp has increasingly become popular. In comparison with conventionally used acrylic resin, thermoplastic resin has lower flexural strength and elastic modulus. Thus, flexible removable prosthesis has low risk of fracture, so denture base can be made thin and light, increasing patient comfort. Also, it can passively sit at tooth undercut during rest, so abutment teeth need minimum or no preparation. In this case report, a 44 year old female patient with mild velopharyngeal insufficiency was treated with a palatal lift prosthesis made of polyester thermoplastic resin. Since the patient had no missing tooth and desired conservative treatment, the flexible removable prosthesis provided relatively satisfactory results.