Speech-Language Pathology: Craniofacial Anomalies and Cleft Care (Chapters 5, 6, 8, & 9)

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering anatomical, structural, dental, and developmental terminology related to cleft lip and palate and craniofacial anomalies from Chapters 5, 6, 8, and 9.

Maxillary retrusion

Also known as midface deficiency, a common anomaly in individuals with a repaired cleft lip and palate characterized by a smaller upper jaw relative to a normal lower jaw.

Microglossia

A relatively small tongue for the oral cavity space that usually has no detrimental effect on speech unless the tongue cannot reach the alveolar ridge for articulation.

Macroglossia

A condition in which the tongue is abnormally large; it is one of the primary characteristics of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and can cause cul-de-sac resonance and frontal or lateral distortions of sibilants.

Macrostomia

An excessively large mouth opening caused by the extension of the mouth into the cheek on the affected side, frequently associated with facial clefts and hemifacial microsomia.

Microstomia

A smaller mouth opening, typically caused by injury or burns with subsequent scarring contractures, that can lead to oral cul-de-sac resonance with muffled, low-volume speech.

Ankyloglossia

A congenital condition in which the lingual frenulum is either abnormally short or has an anterior attachment near the tongue tip, impacting newborn latching and bolus transit.

Eustachian tube

A channel connecting the middle ear with the nasopharynx that opens via the tensor veli palatini muscle during swallowing or yawning to provide middle ear ventilation, pressure equalization, and fluid drainage.

Aural (auditory) atresia

The congenital closure of the external auditory canal.

Microtia

A congenital malformation of the pinna (external ear).

Palatal fistula

An abnormal opening in the palate resulting from a breakdown of surgical repair or stress on overlying mucosa during maxillary growth or expansion.

Tonsillar hypertrophy

Abnormal enlargement of the tonsils that can expand anteriorly, medially, or posteriorly, potentially leading to articulation changes, pharyngeal cul-de-sac resonance, or airway obstruction.

Adenoid hypertrophy

Abnormal enlargement of the pharyngeal tonsils that can lead to hyponasality, obstructive sleep apnea, middle ear effusion, conductive hearing loss, and skeletal malocclusion.

Stertorous breathing

Noisy or labored breathing associated with upper airway obstruction.

Strident breathing

A heavy snoring sound heard during breathing associated with upper airway obstruction.

Normal overjet

The normal horizontal relationship between the upper and lower incisors where the maxillary incisors are slightly labioverted with approximately $2\,\text{mm}$ between the upper and lower incisors.

Normal overbite

The normal vertical overlap of the upper incisors over the lower incisors, measuring approximately $2\,\text{mm}$ or about $25\%$ of the mandibular incisor length.

Obligatory distortions

Speech sound distortions where articulation placement is anatomically normal, but a physical dental or structural anomaly mechanically interferes with sound production.

Compensatory errors

Atypical articulation placements developed by the speaker to compensate for dental or structural anomalies, which require speech therapy to normalize.

Lateral (posterior) crossbite

A malocclusion occurring when the maxillary teeth behind the canines sit inside the mandibular teeth, often secondary to a constricted maxillary arch and causing slushy speech distortions.

Ectopic teeth

Normal teeth that erupt in abnormal anatomical positions, frequently emerging within the line of a cleft.

Supernumerary teeth

Extra teeth that typically erupt in the palate or along the line of a cleft.

Anterior crossbite

A condition where the maxillary incisors are positioned lingual to (inside) the mandibular incisors, frequently co-occurring with Class III malocclusions and maxillary retrusion.

Class I malocclusion

An occlusion where the mesiobuccal cusp of the first maxillary molar fits properly in the buccal groove of the first mandibular molar, but individual teeth are misaligned.

Class II malocclusion

A skeletal and dental malocclusion where the mandible is positioned too far posterior (behind) relative to the maxilla.

Class III malocclusion

A skeletal and dental malocclusion where the mandible is positioned too far anterior (in front of) relative to the maxilla.

Syndromic clefts

Cleft presentations (most often associated with cleft palate only) that tend to entail persistent, long-lasting deficits such as neurological dysfunction, developmental delay, and low intelligence.

Nonsyndromic clefts

Isolated cleft presentations where early delays and deficits typically resolve over time with age and interventions such as PE tubes, surgical repair, and speech therapy.