The Impact of Removable Orthodontic Appliance on Speech in young adults: An Interprofessional Study

Date of Submission

Spring 2026

Document Type

Closed Research Project

Degree Name

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology

Department

Speech-Language Pathology

First Advisor

Malathy Venkatesh, PhD, CCC-SLP

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the specific effects and impact of removable orthodontic appliances on articulation and speech production using routine speech assessment and the Computerized Speech Lab (CSL). The orthodontic appliances used in the study included clear aligners, Hawley retainers, and vacuum-formed retainers. Methods: Twenty four participants completed a series of tasks with and without the orthodontic appliances. Tasks included oral motor exam, diadochokinetic (DDK) rate, nonstandardized articulation assessment, the Computerized Speech Lab (CSL) DDK average, DDK rate, the CSL second format transition rate, and the CSL standard syllabic rate. Results: This study demonstrated that wearing a removable orthodontic appliance significantly impairs the production of certain speech sounds, particularly coronal fricatives, and negatively impacts various speech metrics evaluated via the CSL. Data indicated that participants with over two years of appliance wear experienced a smaller decrease in articulatory motility, alongside the development of effective compensatory articulation strategies and a better overall rate of speech. Conclusion: Study findings highlight the necessity of interprofessional collaboration between Speech-language pathologists and orthodontists for better outcomes while using removable orthodontic appliances. Such collaboration is essential to proactively manage phonetic distortions and ensure that dental practitioners can adequately counsel patients regarding anticipated speech alterations during the selection of treatment modalities.

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