Jaw Surgery for Correcting Speech Issues
 Speech or articulation issues can be a result of problems in your mouth and how tissue is formed or shaped and its alignment. Proper speech is greatly influenced by multiple areas of our mouth. We use our tongue, lips, teeth, palate, and the alveolar ridge behind our teeth to form sounds. As we move our jaw to speak, these areas are used or touched by our tongue to make sounds. If an area is out of alignment, or has excessive tissue, then the careful balance of your mouth is thrown off and your speech can be affected. Jaw surgery can help with articulation in your speech.
Orthognathic surgery, or corrective jaw surgery, can vastly improve your speech and articulation.
Speech Issues
Speech issues often come down to something being out of balance in your mouth. Our goal is to locate what is off balance and correct it. Some common speech issues include:
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Articulation: A common speech issue is the inability to say certain sounds, such as the letter S, F, V and Z. Moving the jaw should help improve these sounds because your teeth and jaw are in a better place.
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Nasally Speech: When we talk, our palate closes at the back of the throat stopping air from escaping through the nose. People with a nasally voice may not have the palate fully closing and therefore air is escaping.
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Cleft Lip or Palate: A common birth defect is a cleft lip or cleft palate. This means that the area did not close properly during development. In some cases, the condition is severe and correction is apparent. In these situations the baby is unable to suck properly. For others, a cleft may be less apparent and not handled until the child is older, when speech problems begin to display.
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Malocclusion: A malocclusion is known as a bad bite or misaligned teeth. In many situations an orthodontic device such as spacers, expanders, braces, and retainers can be used to correct the bite. In some situations, the bite can be significant enough that surgery is needed to help the jaw be set prior to orthodontic work beginning. |
Orthognathic surgery for speech issues and alignment issues is a customized treatment to assist the patient in improving their jaw. It can provide a number of benefits including improvements for:
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Speech and Articulation: Improvements to speech can be helpful for articulation and also alleviate pain or discomfort in the jaw.
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Enhanced Aesthetic: Jaw issues can cause a jaw to protrude, be retracted or small in size. Orthognathic surgery can help you have a more balanced facial appearance and improve your look.
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Decreased Impediment: Jaw issues can be problematic, or even painful. Patients with misalignment in their jaws can experience discomfort at the hinge joint, be unable to fully open or close their jaw, or even suffer facial pain and migraines. |
If you feel you or your loved one may need jaw surgery to help with speech issues, contact Dallas Oral Surgery Associates at 214-363-9946 to schedule a consultation appointment. |
