Palatal augmentation prostheses in individuals treated for head and neck cancer: Effects on speech and oral transport

Abstract

Background: Negative side effects affecting articulation and oral transport are common after treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC). The aim of this study was to assess the effects on speech and patient-reported experience of palatal augmentation prostheses (PAP) in this patient group. Methods: Twenty consecutive patients who had received a PAP were included. We performed a blinded randomized listener assessment of recordings of the patients' speech with and without the PAP. Patient-reported experiences were collected from medical records. Results: The listener assessment showed that production of velar sounds improved significantly for 12 of 19 patients; 12 of 19 patients also reported easier or better speech with the PAP. All six patients treated for tongue cancer reported speech improvement. Seven of 20 patients reported better transport of food or saliva. Conclusion: A PAP can help patients treated for HNC to more precisely articulated velar consonants and can benefit oral transport.