Malocclusion traits and articulatory components of speech.

The aim here was to determine the effects of particular types of malocclusion including the effects of combinations of different occlusal anomalies on speech articulation. Occlusal anomalies and articulatory speech disorders, a diagnosis based on errors in place of articulation, were determined for 451 students, mean age 23 years. The present results showed that risk ratios for producing consonants too far anteriorly was greater by 4.5 times for subjects with mesial occlusion, 3.7 times for those with mandibular overjet, 3.4 times for subjects with incisal open bite and 1.7 for those with lateral cross-bite compared to individuals without those occlusal anomalies. This study suggests that incisal open bite alone is rarely associated with articulatory speech disorders, but if present they tend to be mild. Incisal open bite combined with other occlusal anomalies, especially with mesial occlusion, is related to more severe misarticulations of consonants.