Using Sentence Categories for Nasometric Assessment of Resonance Disorders

This study aimed to determine whether significant differences in nasalance can be detected through sentence reading among Chilean Spanish speakers with balanced resonance and those simulating hypernasality, hyponasality, or mixed resonance. The study recruited 30 Chilean participants (15 men and 15 women), with a mean age of 23 years, without velopharyngeal dysfunction. Participants were trained to simulate different types of resonance disorders, using 15 sentences classified into 3 categories: high-pressure oral consonants, low-pressure oral consonants, and nasal consonants. Nasalance was measured with a nasometric assessment using a nasometer 6450 in 4 resonance conditions: balanced, hypernasality, hyponasality, and mixed resonance. Repeated-measures ANOVA statistical analyses and Tukey post hoc tests were applied. The results showed significant differences in nasalance scores between balanced resonance and simulated hypernasality, hyponasality, and mixed resonance. Nasalance values were comparable to those reported in previous studies with Spanish speakers. Reading the sentences in question allows us to identify significant differences in nasalance between subjects with balanced resonance and simulated hypernasality, hyponasality, and mixed resonance. Future studies should investigate these sentences in real patients and use a blind randomized methodology to validate auditory-perceptual evaluation and nasometry.