I’m a 32 year old female and I got upper lingual braces 2 weeks ago. This site was very helpful to me when making my braces decision so I feel it’s only fair to contribute my experience.

Pain/Discomfort – I’ve been very lucky on this front. I have not experienced any pain. Some tenderness on several teeth but that’s it. I have not had to rely on any painkillers. During the first few days I had one particular spot that snagged my tongue and was irritating. So I was using wax on that spot and within a few days it just resolved itself. I no longer use any wax which is a relief as it’s quite a chore to get it to stay on.

Lisp – Talking has been a challenge! My first day I couldn’t even say my own name which was both humorous and pathetic at the same time. Since then I’ve improved a great deal but about 25% of my speech is still pretty lispy. Luckily my job doesn’t require a whole lot of talking which makes the whole thing pretty bearable. If speech is a limiting factor when considering linguals, try to determine the width of your arch. I think I have a pretty narrow arch. I also have one tooth that has a button (instead of a bracket). This button has its own wire connecting to the adjacent tooth. This excess wire is also taking away some tongue space making speech slightly more difficult. Having said all of that I still think my lisp is less noticeable than traditional clear/ceramic braces can ever be.

Eating – My first week I was on a liquid/super-soft diet. I didn’t mind so much as it’s officially hot where I live so I was really enjoying gazpacho, smoothies, and shakes. I can eat a lot more now. My front teeth are still pretty tender so I don’t eat anything that I have to bite into. I only eat things that I can cut up into bite size pieces. And a positive side effect is I have lost a few pounds. Also, everything gets stuck to my braces. But fortunately someone invented the Waterpik. It’s an amazing product; definitely essential to keeping good hygiene when you’re dealing with braces. I highly recommend it.

Overall I am happy with my decision to go with linguals. Granted it’s only been two weeks but I’m hoping I’ve experienced the worst. Not sure if future adjustments will make me regret linguals but if so, I’ll be sure to report back.

If aesthetics is an issue for you and a major barrier to getting braces, then linguals are a pretty good solution. I was not a good candidate for invisalign so linguals were really my only option. Linguals are incredibly expensive and it’s really hard finding an experienced provider especially where I live in the US. And if I had to, I would have probably gotten the traditional clear/ceramic braces. But to be honest, the thought of traditional braces gave me lots of anxiety. And if I’d known about linguals sooner, I would have probably gotten them several years ago.

Getting braces as an adult is truly daunting, but the hardest part is making the decision. After that you have no choice but to be patient and live with them.

Thanks to all who have painstakingly shared their experience. The forums, blogs, and videos have been really helpful to me.

Congratulations on starting your journey

I am also 32 years old with linguals, which i have had for just over 6 months now.

Speech was a huge concern for me when making my decision, and for the first couple of weeks I struggled a bit with a lisp and had those days which ended in tears of frustration at not being able to talk properly!

After a month or 2 speech was absolutely perfect though so youve made it past the worst already, from here things can only get better!

[quote="linguallady"]Congratulations on starting your journey

I am also 32 years old with linguals, which i have had for just over 6 months now.

Speech was a huge concern for me when making my decision, and for the first couple of weeks I struggled a bit with a lisp and had those days which ended in tears of frustration at not being able to talk properly!

After a month or 2 speech was absolutely perfect though so youve made it past the worst already, from here things can only get better![/quote]


Just got braces last week and I have been brought to tears about my speech too:( I sure hope it improves! I feel like a weirdo. And forget about smiling for pictures!

I, too, am another 'mature' lingual wearer. Got them on top and bottom 18months ago and coming up for my 34th b'day and probably got another 6 months to go.

Don't get stressed about your speech! I promise it really does get better. The key is not to avoid speaking but speak as much as you can. Also, cover your brace in wax so your tongue isn't so 'afraid' to touch it, it really does help.

One week after getting my braces I had to present an all day workshop which worst of all, featured me having to use the words 'resistance' a lot. What a nightmare! However, by the end of the day I noticed my speech had vastly improved. Even just spend time reading out loud to yourself.

Honestly, by the end of the second week your speech will be sooooo much better. There may be times when you speak quickly or are tired that you'll occassionally lisp but then that sometimes happens when you don't have braces anyway.

Keep going!

Theres actually a passage on the Internet (The Rainbow Passage - you can google it) which you can use to practice your speech.
I read it out loud a few times a day and it helped immensely

HI Guys,

I want to also begin this Journey!

Do any of you Live in Sydney and recommend and a doctor? I have just re-located from brisbane and I am re-starting the whole process!!

any help would be greatly appreciated?

I´m also getting on linguals soon. And I wonder -do you mean that a narrow arch is making it more likely that you will lisp? My arch is narrow. But my teeths are quite straight (I´m doing this to prepare for a Le fort I, and already had braces once before). Does this matter?
I´m so stressed about the speech problems. I´m also afraid that when I´ll get them on I´ll get total claustrophobia! I got this splinth and I think it´s horrible to wear it.

Hi annepanne

I found that it wasn't my narrow arch that particularly caused the funny speech it was my tongue not having as much room as usual at the front because where it was expecting to hit my teeth it was coming against my braces.

Try and not stress, just prepare yourself as best as possible, yes, you will speak funny when you get your braces. Take painkillers, I found hot drinks helped soothe my tongue and use loads of wax, and really practise speaking. You will feel like you will never eat and speak properly ever again but it does go away!

Take it easy, you'll be ok!

Thank you Elegra!
I have had a "wire" behind my upper teeth for 10 years (from earlier braces) , they just took it out and I actually have been lisping a bit without it, so I hope that my mouth is used to having "something" there.

I guess I´m afraid that I will just freak out, and want them to take the braces off!! ha ha. I guess I´m mostly afraid of the psychological, since I have some anxiety and depression going on from before. But I guess I have to "brace" myself (!) for the first two weeks. How is it with eating and - kissing?? after a while? is it possible?

Aw Annepanne, honestly you will be fine and everything that you feel when you get them in is totally normal.

I totally felt like I wanted them taken off at points but it's funny how quickly our bodies adapt. Yep, at first eating for me felt like it was impossible, stock up on soups, smoothies and other paste type foods! One day I was so desperate for a chocolate bar that I got one and melted it in a pot on the stove so I could eat it's gooey chocolatiness! You'll feel like you can't bite at first, because it's too sore and also I was scared it was pushing really hard on my brackets. So eat soft foods and break or cut them up into little mouthsize chunks. I did that for months before I was fully confident to say, bite into a baguette or whatever. Anyway, I guess it looks more ladylike to be nibbling away!

Kissing is fine, I've been with my OH for over 10 years so we don't do much full on smooshing these days but there's never been a problem!

The first two weeks will be the hardest but even then try to stay positive and things do improve really quickly, I promise!

Thank you so much Elegra. I really hope that this braces-thing won´t take over my whole mind. Because I am taking my MFA at the same time. And it´s going to be hard. But I´m just trying to think how fantastic it would be after, to both graduate and have my bite fixed at the same time! Thank you for your advice, and support.

Good luck with the braces and let us know how you get on when you've got them in, think this will be a good place to rant and rave, wish I'd found it when I first got mine on!

You never know, it might be a good thing that you're studying at the moment as might help as a distraction from the braces when they're all new and all that you want to think about!

Deffo a good goal to aim for graduation with a new smile!

So it’s officially been one month! I’m happy and sad! Happy to survive a whole month and sad knowing I have sooo much longer left. Still don’t have bottom arch (which will be traditional ceramic and I’m not looking forward to having such visible braces), still have to get 2 extractions, still haven’t had my first adjustment, and still have a tooth without a bracket

As far as how I’m handling day to day life with lingual uppers…

Pain/Discomfort – Still doing well with this. Haven’t used wax since the first few days. Don’t have tongue irritation. Sometimes my tongue gets tired but not too bad. Haven’t had to take painkillers or anything. Only have slight tooth tenderness which affects eating but not painful.

Lisp – Still lisping. My speech has improved since the first 2 weeks but still not quite there. I’d say about 15% of my speech comes out lispy. Yesterday I had to run a meeting at work. Was worried about this but amazingly managed to pull it off with very minimal speech issues. Was very happy about that but then for the rest of the day, my speech was horrible. It was as if my mouth and tongue used all its energy for the meeting and then had nothing left for the rest of the day. The most troublesome words for me are: master, wedding, emergency, and my own name Before I got linguals I actually practiced talking without touching the back of my teeth. And I was able to speak perfectly. Somehow I thought this meant I would lisp less with braces but not the case. The braces take up so much more space in your mouth then you think (at least in my case).

Eating – Still chewing awkwardly. I am able to eat more but still have some tooth tenderness which limits chewing. Not eating as much so I have lost weight, about 5 lbs.

Movement – I don’t see visible changes in my teeth but I do feel changes in my teeth. Two of my teeth have shifted down some. The shift has affected how I chew and is another factor limiting my eating somewhat.

Still don’t regret the decision to go with linguals. In fact, I wish I could get them on my bottom arch as well..

Oh btw, I am also in grad school (in addition to full time job). Figured it was a good time to get braces since I don’t have much time left for fun or socializing anyway. Can’t wait to be done with both! Side note: I’m single now and kinda wish I had gotten braces when I was in a committed relationship because the thought of starting a new relationship/romance with braces is quite depressing (..as is the thought of not starting one for the next 2 years…)! Ok that’s all for now

Hey braceyourself

It sounds like you're doing really well! Plus, the weight loss side effect is a good one!

When's your next appt?

Have you been taking your own pics to chart the difference? I take pics about once a month so that when I feel like nothing is happening I can have a run through them and it really highlights what's changed.

I got them on!!! And I want to rip them off! I didn't know they would make my upper and lower jaw not "bite" together! oh my....this is so uncomfortable.
I have almost not eatens since I got them on, friday! I am lisping and sound soooo stupid. I am thinking why the hell am I doing all of this... Worst is, I just got a boyfriend!! And now, I am not at all into kissing or having sex or anything, I am just depressed. wonder how long he wants to listen to me complaining about this... IS there really going to come to a point where I can forget a bit about them?? I can't think of anything else now..