The influence of occlusal class in speech production has been studied using the X-ray Microbeam Speech Production Database (XRMB-SPD), which includes acoustic, electroglotographic and articulatory signals, corresponding to 118 different tasks. The objective of the study was to relate the articulatory oral space (AOS) measurement of 56 subjects with gender, occlusal class (I and II), and adaptations in swallowing and in articulation of vowels, fricatives and stops. Since the XRMB-SPD didn’t incorporate a cephalometric analysis, a method to adequately describe the subject’s oral cavity dimensions, the ''Modified A-Space'', was developed. Results showed greater dimensions of Class I subjects’ AOS, greater inclination of Class II subjects’ pharynx posterior wall and greater antero-posterior distance of males’ AOS. Class II subjects presented several adaptations related to the AOS and to the palate shape in swallowing and in the production of [i], [s], [S] and [t] speech sounds. The ''Modified A-Space'' provided additional information that complemented the XRMB-SPD’s original data, allowing the characterization of cranio-facial features, and complementing Angle’s malocclusion classification with a complete functional study of speech and swallowing. We believe that this kind of method may easily be applied in regular cephalometric analysis, and can be used to evaluate articulatory disorders related to cranio-facial anomalies. This approach could also facilitate the clinical treatment selection and be a valuable instrument in therapeutic processes.
AraujoJesusCosta2007b.pdf - Paper (Acrobat 7.0 file)
AraujoJesusCosta2007bPPT.pdf - Oral presentation (CutePDF (Ghostscript 8.60) file)