NASOPHARYNGOSCOPIC EVALUATION AND CEPHALOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF VELOPHARYNX IN NORMAL AND CLEFT-PALATE PATIENTS

The velopharyngeal dimensions and velopharyngeal functions of 58 patie nts having a cleft lip and palate were compared with those of 30 norma l noncleft subjects, The patient group received perceptual speech asse ssment, nasopharyngoscopic examination, and lateral cephalogram, and w as classified accordingly into three categories: velopharyngeal compet ency, borderline velopharyngeal competency, and velopharyngeal incompe tency, The results indicated that (1) the need ratio differs significa ntly among the three cleft palate patient groups and (2) when compared to the control group, the velopharyngeal incompetency group has an ex cessive need ratio, narrower posterior pharyngeal wall, narrower linea r dimensions in pharyngeal depth, and shorter velar and hard-palate le ngth. The clinical implication and application of the findings are dis cussed.