Effect of Restoring Missing Maxillary Primary Incisors on Speech of Children

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of restoring missing maxillary primary incisors on speech of childrenand parent satisfaction to restoration of speech.
Materials and methods: The present study was designed as a case control study. A total of 40 children in the age range of 3.3-5.5 years were selected and divided into two groups. Group A: Twenty children with normal anterior maxillary teeth. Group B: Twenty children with a history of premature loss of maxillary primary incisors. The second group will be evaluated by articulation test for every child to detect any articulation error. Each child was evaluated four times as follow: Before restoration of missing incisors, immediately after restorable with fixed appliance, at 2week after restorable with fixed appliance and finally at 4week after restorable with fixed appliance. After that a questionnaire was provided to the parents. It designed from seven questions to evaluate the effect of restoration of missing teeth on speech of studied children.
Results: The results of this study showed there was statistically significant difference between control and intervention group studied at pre denture and immediately after denture. On the other hand, there are no statistically differences between intervention and control group at 2 and 4 weeks of denture application. At the end of follow up period, (after 4 weeks), all intervention group children become normal in speaking the sound (/س/, / ص/, /ز/, /ظ/ and /ف/).
Conclusions:  Early intervention of early loss of primary maxillary anterior teeth can prevent speech problems in children and satisfaction of parent to restoration of missing maxillary anterior primary teeth with fixed appliance.