[Speech intelligibility in various types of obturators constructed after maxillary resections]

Six patients who had undergone partial maxillary resection for the removal of oral neoplasms were studied. For each patient two types of obturators were made one being buccal flange and the other hollow-bulb. Speech evaluations were made under three conditions: 1- with the hollow-bulb 2- with the buccal flange and 3- with no obturator. Speech evaluations were made both audiovisually and from tape recordings. In both audiovisual and tape recorded speech evaluations, the buccal flange obturator produced speech which was significantly superior to speech with hollow-bulb obturator.