What is the most common type of resonance disorder?

Hypernasality is considered the most common type of resonance disorder primarily because it frequently occurs in individuals with conditions that impact the velopharyngeal mechanism, such as cleft palate, neurological disorders, and certain syndromes. This condition arises when there is too much airflow through the nasal cavity during speech production, leading to a sound that is overly "nasal" and can affect the clarity and intelligibility of speech.

The prevalence of hypernasality is heightened in both children and adults with structural or functional impairments in the velopharyngeal region. Individuals with hypernasality may present with a voice that sounds as if they are speaking through their nose, significantly impacting communication effectiveness.

In contrast, hypo-nasality occurs when there is insufficient nasal resonance, often resulting from nasal obstructions or illnesses affecting the nasal passages, which, while also impactful, is less common compared to hypernasality. Mixed resonance can occur but is not as frequently characterized as hypernasality. Nasal airflow, while relevant to discussing resonance disorders, does not fit into the same categorical type of disorder as hypernasality or hypo-nasality. Thus, hypernasality is recognized as the most common type of resonance disorder encountered in clinical practice.