[Effects of different major connectors on pronunciation and comfort in Kennedy I dentition defect]

To analyze the effect on pronunciation and comfort level when 4 different major connectors (type 1: Palatal plate; type 2: Single palatal strap; type 3: Anterior-posterior joint palatal strap; type 4: Anterior-posterior joint palatal bar) were used in patients with Kennedy I deletion.

Tirty young volunteers were chosen to wear 4 different major connectors. The pronunciation of consonants /s/, /t/, /j/, /sh/ were detected and the different formant parameters(F1 and F2) were analyzed by the computer speech analytical system. The comfort levels of 4 major connectors were compared by questionnaire survey.

1)There was no significant difference(P5).05) in pronunciation of consonants /s/, /sh/, /t/(F1 and F2) among the 4 types of connectors whatever wearing or not, but there was significant difference (P < 0.05) in pronunciation of consonant /j/ among wearing type 3, type 4 and no wearing. 2)There was no significant difference in comfort level (P > 0.05) among the four connectors.

The effect on pronunciation of patients with Kennedy I deletion was less when wearing the first and the second types of connectors than that of wearing the third and the fourth types of connectors. There was no significant difference in comfort level among the four connectors.