Speech is a communication method found only in humans that relies on
precisely articulated sounds to encode and express thoughts. Anatomical
differences in the maxilla, mandible, tooth position, and vocal tract affect
tongue placement and broadly influence the patterns of airflow and resonance
during speech production. Alterations in these structures can create perceptual
distortions in speech known as speech sound disorders (SSDs). As craniofacial
development occurs, the vocal tract, jaws, and teeth change in parallel with
stages of speech development, from babbling to adult phonation. Alterations from
a normal Class 1 dental and skeletal relationship can impact speech. Dentofacial
disharmony (DFD) patients have jaw disproportions, with a high prevalence of
SSDs, where the severity of malocclusion correlates with the degree of speech
distortion. DFD patients often seek orthodontic and orthognathic surgical
treatment, but there is limited familiarity among dental providers on the
impacts of malocclusion and its correction on speech. We sought to review the
interplay between craniofacial and speech development and the impacts of
orthodontic and surgical treatment on speech. Shared knowledge can facilitate
collaborations between dental specialists and speech pathologists for the proper
diagnosis, referral, and treatment of DFD patients with speech pathologies.