My new dentist has experience with prosthodontics and has suggested I try a palatal speech and swallow device. My speech is very difficult to understand. I had stage 4 oropharyngeal SCC with modified radical neck dissection with partial resection of tongue and soft palate, chemo, max rads in 2005. Further chemo, clinical trials, rads for mets to my lungs beginning in 2008. Long term effects of treatment have included severe dysphagia, trismus, osteoradionecrosis of right mandible. I have been on a PEG tube since 2011. I had a partial mandibulectomy (right mandible) last October. Really grand news is NED for more than a year!

So, now I am attempting to deal with my mushy speech. The primary difficulty I have is lack of tongue control and inability for my tongue to reach the roof of my mouth. Without this ability I cannot enunciate many consonant sounds. I have seen a speech pathologist who does not believe that speech therapy will be helpful. Surgery may be an option, but, in my opinion and for myself, it does seem that surgeries offer another set of problems to deal with.

Has anyone had experience with use of a palatal prosthesis? Pros and cons? Thanks so much.