The Influence of Anterior Palatal Modifications on Speech Intelligibility in Complete Denture Wearers: A Systematic Review

Anterior palate, complete denture, modified rugae, palatal contouring, phonetics, speech intelligibility

1*Dr. Balpreet Kaur,
Postgraduate student,
Department of Prosthodontics and Crown &
Bridge, SDS, Manav Rachna International
Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad,Haryana.

2Dr. Pankaj Dhawan,
Professor and Head of Department,
Department of Futuristic
Dentistry, SDS, Manav Rachna International
Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad, Haryana.

3Dr. Neha Jain,
Professor and Head of Department,
Department of Prosthodontics and
Crown & Bridge, SDS, Manav Rachna
International Institute of Research and Studies,
Faridabad, Haryana.

4Dr. Uswah Khan
Reader, Department of Prosthodontics and
Crown & Bridge, SDS, Manav Rachna
International Institute of Research and Studies,
Faridabad, Haryana.

Address for correspondence: Dr. Balpreet Kaur,
Postgraduate student, Department of
Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge, SDS,
Manav Rachna International Institute of
Research and Studies, Faridabad, Haryana

Received:12-06-2026
Revised:27-07-2026
Accepted:08-08-2026

European Journal of Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry (2026) 34(7s), 1445–1452

The Influence of Anterior Palatal Modifications on Speech Intelligibility in Complete Denture Wearers: A Systematic Review

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of anterior palate modifications on speech intelligibility in complete denture wearers. Methods: This systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. The Scopus, PubMed, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar databases were searched for English-language papers published between 2013 and 2025. Search terms were combined using Boolean operators "AND" and "OR." The risk of bias of the included studies was evaluated using the RoB 2.0 tool. Results: Six studies met the inclusion criteria: one experimental study, three clinical trials, and two in vivo studies. Most employed both subjective and objective measures to assess speech intelligibility in complete denture patients with anterior palate modifications. Quality assessment using the RoB 2.0 tool categorized four studies as "low risk" and two as "some concerns." Conclusion: The findings suggest that customized rugae, as a modification of the anterior palate, yield better speech outcomes than conventional methods. Clinical Relevance: Modification of the anterior palate enhanced speech intelligibility in edentulous patients. By restoring palatal contours that aid in the articulation of linguo-palatal sounds like /s/, /t/, and /sh/, patients experience clearer speech and improved communication.

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