The study on the acoustic features of congenital velopharyngeal insufficiency

Liying Yu, DDS,(a) Guomin Wang, DDS,(b) Yang Chen, DDS,(b) and Yilai Wu, DDS(b)

(a)Shanghai Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, and (b)Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai, P. R. China.



Purpose: To study the acoustic features of the patients with congenital velopharyngeal insufficiency (CVPI).
Materials and Methods: The acoustic features of 28 patients with CVPI were analyzed with the computer speech lab, and compared with the features of 20 controls.
Results: It was not the same on each syllable; from phonetic images, F1, F2 and F3 of the controls were clearer than those of the patients, the other districts of the controls were lighter than those of the patients. F1 of the patients was darker and broader, their F2 and F3 were lower, weaker and broader. Among F1, F2 and F3 of the patients, there were some extra formants. Erected stripes and fills before the vowel of the patients were fewer than those of the controls.
Conclusion: There were apparent distinctions in F2, B2, F3 and B3 between the patients and the controls, and there was significant difference in phonetic images between the two groups, especially in Formants, and consonants.
(Int Chin J Dent 2003; 3: 105-110.)


Clinical Significance: The results of the current study demonstrate that the patients with CVPI have the significant differences with the normal in speech, which will help to determine the status of the patient before and after surgery.

Key Words: acoustic features, congenital velopharyngeal insufficiency, misarticulation.