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Speech adaptation after treatment of full edentulism through immediate-loaded implant protocols
Liene Molly1, Olivia Nackaerts, Katrien Vandewiele
1KULeuven - Oral Imaging Center, Leuven, Belgium.
Objectives:
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of immediate loading of implants on speech adaptation.
Material And Methods:
Ten patients (mean age 54, 6 females) were examined before surgery and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months afterwards. Articulation analysis was done using objective DAT-recoded data evaluated by two groups of speech and language therapists and a computer software program. Besides, patient VAS-scores, myofunctional problems and hearing impairment were recorded and analysed.
Results:
In the present study only one patient suffered from deteriorated speech after immediate loading. Other patients showed unaffected or improved articulation 3 to 6 months after surgery with a strident and interdental pronunciation mostly becoming addental. Furthermore, myofunctional problems occurred in one patient, other patients adapted to the new situation after three months. Hearing impairment did not influence speech pathology in this study.
Conclusion:
Immediate loading of oral implants does not seem to compromise the normal 3-6 months speech adaptation period. Whether such procedure presents advantages to the conventional 2-stage rehabilitation remains to be investigated.