Comparisons of speech aerodynamics and lateral craniofacial cephalometrics in cleft lip and palate patients with and without Finnish /r/-sound distortion.

To study the associations between the articulation of the Finnish /r/ sound and dentofacial and pharyngeal lateral cephalometric morphology and speech physiology, 18 (12 females, 6 males) young adult cleft patients' /r/ sound was analysed auditorily by 3 speech experts. Laryngeal resistance (LARE), the smallest nasal cross-sectional area (NASA), nasal resistance (NASAR) and velopharyngeal orifice area (VEPA) were measured with pressure flow technique, and 31 points were identified from the lateral cephalograms to landmark the skeletal structure, pharyngeal airway diameters, and position of the hyoid bone. The present results showed no significant differences in lateral cephalometric skeletal, nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal or hypopharyngeal morphology between subjects with and without /r/-sound distortion. There were no significant correlations either between /r/ distortions and NASA, NASAR or VEPA. An anteriorly positioned hyoid bone was significantly associated with decreased LARE and /r/ distortion. LARE was significantly lower in subjects with /r/ distortion.