Acoustic signal intensity analysis in patients with dysphonia rehabilitated with two different designs for tongue prostheses: A cross-over study

Studies on the significance of intensity on speech production with a tongue prosthesis are lacking, despite this being an important criterion in speech production in patients with total glossectomy. The purpose of this cross-over clinical study was to assess acoustic signal intensity and frequency in patients with total glossectomy rehabilitated with mandibular dentures with 2 different attachment designs for the tongue prosthesis. Seven participants initially received a mandibular denture with a tongue prosthesis attached using an acrylic resin plate. After a period of 3 months, the dentures were retrieved and modified by replacing the acrylic resin plate with a metal framework as an attachment to the tongue prosthesis to be used for another 3 months with no washout period. The intensity and acoustic energy frequency of acoustic signals were recorded and analyzed for both denture designs at insertion, after 1 month, and after 3 months using 2-way repeated ANOVA (α=.01). Patient satisfaction was evaluated at the end of the follow-up period using a questionnaire. Participants were asked about comfort, phonation, and deglutition ability. The McNemar test was used for all parameters (α=.01). Intensity mean ±standard deviation values for the acrylic resin plate group were 21.56 ±0.54 at insertion, 19.23 ±0.25 at 1 month, and 15.46 ±0.21 at 3 months. For the metal framework group, they were 19.05 ±0.19 at insertion, 16.88 ±0.16 at 1 month, and 13.98 ±0.09 at 3 months. The differences were statistically significant (P