Articulatory Function After Resection of the Tongue and Floor of the Mouth

Palatometric and Perceptual Evaluation

Linguapalatal contact patterns and the time course of changes in contacts during utterances of /asa, ata, aa, aça/ were measured using electropalatography (EPG). The relations between these data and perceptual scores in 17 glossectomized patients after various surgical methods were examined. The linguapalatal contact patterns produced during perceptually less distorted sounds varied with the place and manner of articulation. Patterns having very few contacts or a posterior groove produced more distorted /s/ sounds; however, types of EPG patterns producing less distorted /s/ sounds were relatively frequent. Distortion of the // and /ç/ sounds was less often produced by variation of the EPG patterns, whereas /t/ sounds were most frequently judged to be highly distorted. Patterns that showed complete constriction along the dental arch or constriction on the anterior portion of the hard palate, as well as rapid release for plosion by the tongue tip, produced less distorted /t/ sounds. The results revealed that glossectomized patients often evidenced defective stop sounds. It was concluded that mobility rather than volume of the residual tongue is required to produce less distorted stops.

KEY WORDS: tongue cancer, glossectomy, articulation disorder, electropalatography (EPG), linguapalatal contact

Submitted on May 3, 1990
Accepted on July 2, 1991

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