This study investigates the effects of Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (MARPE) on speech characteristics in adolescent and young adult patients.

While MARPE is a widely used orthodontic procedure for treating maxillary transverse deficiency, its potential impact on speech production has not been thoroughly evaluated. The aim of this study is to assess whether MARPE treatment causes any temporary or long-term changes in speech patterns using acoustic and perceptual analysis methods.

This prospective clinical study aims to evaluate how Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (MARPE) affects speech in adolescents and young adults with skeletal maxillary transverse deficiency.

Speech production relies on precise palatal anatomy and oral resonance. Since MARPE modifies the palatal structure through skeletal expansion, it may influence articulation and acoustic properties of speech. Despite its increasing use in orthodontics, the potential speech-related side effects of MARPE remain largely unexplored.

Participants aged 13-25 will undergo MARPE treatment as part of their standard orthodontic care. Speech recordings will be taken at three time points: before expansion (baseline), immediately after the active expansion phase, and after the retention period. Acoustic analysis and standardized perceptual speech evaluations will be conducted to detect any phonetic, articulatory, or resonance-related changes.

The results will help clinicians better understand the functional implications of MARPE on speech and provide guidance for counseling patients before treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with Class I malocclusion
• Presence of maxillary transverse deficiency
• Young adult patients aged 15 to 18 years
• No history of systemic disease, cleft lip/palate, or speech disorders
• No history of previous orthodontic treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with any systemic disease
• Patients who smoke
• Patients with poor oral hygiene
• Patients with cooperation difficulties
• Patients with mental retardation or cognitive impairment

De-identified individual participant data (IPD), including speech evaluation results and relevant demographic variables, will be shared with qualified researchers upon reasonable request. Data will be made available starting 6 months after publication of study results and will remain accessible for 3 years. Requests must be submitted via institutional email and will require a data use agreement.

Data and supporting documents (Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan) will be available beginning 6 months after the publication of study results and will remain accessible for 3 years.

Access to de-identified individual participant data and supporting documents will be granted to qualified researchers upon reasonable request. Requestors must provide a methodologically sound proposal and sign a data use agreement. Data will be shared via secure institutional channels following approval by the principal investigator.