Speech sound distortions caused by changes in complete denture morphology.

A numerical method for speech analysis has been developed. The method is based on sounds spectrograms as carriers of information about individual voice characteristics. The effects on speech sounds caused by alterations of the oral cavity dimensions with complete dentures of different morphology were analysed. Different positions of upper incisors and different thickness of the denture palatal plate were used as changeable factors in the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the oral cavity. The effects of these changes on the relative duration of separate sounds in a word and the patient adaptation period were also analysed. From the results some conclusions of pragmatic value were obtained useful in the clinical procedures of denture construction.