“Effects Of Rapid Maxillary Expansion On Speech Sound Production In Growing Patients. A Systematic Review’’

Abstract

One common orthodontic supplement treatment for posterior cross-bites is the use of rapid palatal expanders. Rapid palatal expanders could make it difficult for the tongue to move freely and make adequate linguo-palatal contact. This review study aimed to ascertain the precise effects of rapid palatal expanders on the development and production of speech sounds in children and young adolescents who have undergone this type of orthodontic intervention.

Clinical studies evaluating patients with maxillary transverse deficiency who had orthodontic treatment and the association with speech changes without limiting

language or year of publication. There were only interventional studies included. RME changed the fundamental frequency of vowels and the formant frequency of fricative phonemes, which affected speech output. In one study, shimmer rate was altered, while in two experiments, jitter rate was altered. In two investigations, speech deteriorated during orthodontic treatment, but improved once the appliances were taken out. RME has an impact on speech both during and after treatment, despite the few data. Few research have looked at this matter in the literature; those that have often found a short-term, detrimental effect on some speech sounds within two weeks of the expanders being placed. More research is required because there is currently a lack of scientific understanding on the long-term effects and the effect on a wider variety of speech sound categories.