I don't think I can take this- Day 3

Message

#1 Post by **LaurenQ** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 3:09 pm

I got my lingual braces on top on Friday and have ceramic on bottom.

I am 22 and work as a consultant. My speech has got significantly worse since Friday. My tongue is in pain, which I could deal with. But I sound horrible. I could not possibly pass as speaking close to normal.

Does anyone know if I could go without the bottom braces on? My bottom teeth are pretty straight. My main problem was crowding in my two front teeth that overlaped slightly. I know the bottom braces are not what is causing my speech to be poor, but it is just added metal in my mouth that I don't care to fix. Will going without the bottom hinder the fixing of the top teeth?

I am ready to rip these things out and am 100% miserable. I could deal with pain but I cannot deal with not being able to speak.

#2 Post by **lionfish** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 3:44 pm

Lauren, what you're going through at the moment is very common and I sympathise with the way you're feeling. I've heard of that many people with linguals, including the cases discussed by my ortho, who have wanted to rip the darn things off their teeth on day two.

I know what it was like for myself, as I think I mentioned to you on another thread. My tongue copped a beating in the first fortnight, but then it toughened up to the brackets and I haven't had a problem since.

Speak as much as you can as this is the only way your speech will improve. Use wax and salt water rinses as often as you have to to give yourself some relief. It will get better.

But try and stick with it, because when you start to see results, it will all be worthwhile.

And just to add to what meryaten has said, your ortho probably has a very good reason for having bracketed your bottom teeth. I also started out with straight lowers, and I have braces on them. If you're in doubt, ask your ortho.

#3 Post by **Septimus** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:37 am

i'm on day 2 of upper and lower linguals and i'm doing fine so far.

my speech is terrible and everyone i've spoken to has noticed my speech problem. but really who cares. some people are fat, some people smell bad, some people are too hairy, some people talk funny for a few weeks.

my whole job is pretty much just talking to people, and if they dont wanna talk to me they can get lost.

the worst part for me is eating. my molars are a long way off touching, and i even choked a few times trying to eat (swallow) noodles.

but so what,,,, no-one can see my braces. hahahaha.

#4 Post by **Septimus** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:39 am

hang in there lauren its sooooo worth it.

#5 Post by **lionfish** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:57 pm

I PMSL at your post, septimus. You have the best attitude, mate!

But you're right, life pretty much goes on, doesn't it?

#6 Post by **annie82** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 6:09 pm

dear lauren, just keep on practicing and u will get much better. hope things have already improved now!!

cheers

#7 Post by **BlahBlah** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:57 pm

aye everyone im on my 6th day woooohoooooooooo, i dont care that i got a lisp, i just wanna eat!!!lol
aye how do i do that signature thing that says how many days/weeks ive been braced......???

#8 Post by **BlahBlah** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 5:40 pm

aye i went to that site, tickerfactory.. but all of em are counting down the days, which one do i choose so the days can just count like what u guys have lol helppp

#9 Post by **eoconnor** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 9:21 am

Hi,

i got my lower linguals on about a month ago. they were extremely painful at first but my speech really wasnt that bad at all. i just got my top linguals on yesterday (and by that point was completely used to the bottom braces) but my speech is really affected and i'm really nervous about it. i am a lawyer and obviously have to talk all the time. i find that part of the problem is that you generate much more saliva when you talk - this seemed to go away w/the bottoms as a i got used to them but i'm wondering if this will happen w/the tops as well.

I need some help on fixing the speech problems!!!! where do you put the wax to help you? this helped a lot on my lowers but i dont know where to put it for the uppers!!!!!

#10 Post by **lionfish** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:46 pm

G'day, eoconnor.

I waxed almost everywhere during the first couple of weeks until my tongue got used to the contact with the linguals. The brackets on my front teeth and on those right at the back seemed to be the worst for some reason, so that's where I waxed the most, to the point of making a roll which I could string across several brackets at a time.

I can only speak of upper linguals (I have ceramics on the bottom), but what I found is that the 's' sound, in particular, tends to disappear if you don't work at it. I think this is because your tongue needs a bit of space between the back of your teeth to form that sound and when the brackets are in the way, it's a bit harder to do that. Unfortunately, the best medicine is to keep talking. And talking. And talking.

The saliva thing will settle down after a while. I'm barely aware of any excess saliva now.

#11 Post by **eoconnor** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 4:10 pm

thanks so much for the support and help - i'm a little frustrated but i know i will be happy in a month from now.

i was a little confused by the part of your response regarding the 's' sound - i thought you said "it will go away if you don't work at it" - did you mean it will go away if you do work at it? meaning, just keep talkign and talking . . . i'm thinking in 2 wks i'll be ok, and if i dont think about it so much its actually better

at the end of the day today i think it is already getting better - you really just have to be patient, i know. while i'm happy now that i'm used to the lowers, they were MUCH MUCH more painful than these tops ever will be. my tongue literally got ripped to shreads and the pain was insane. the tops dont even compare and actually my tongue is pretty much used to them - i just have to fix this whole speech impediment thing.

#12 Post by **eoconnor** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 4:11 pm

thanks so much for the support and help - i'm a little frustrated but i know i will be happy in a month from now.

i was a little confused by the part of your response regarding the 's' sound - i thought you said "it will go away if you don't work at it" - did you mean it will go away if you do work at it? meaning, just keep talkign and talking . . . i'm thinking in 2 wks i'll be ok, and if i dont think about it so much its actually better

at the end of the day today i think it is already getting better - you really just have to be patient, i know. while i'm happy now that i'm used to the lowers, they were MUCH MUCH more painful than these tops ever will be. my tongue literally got ripped to shreads and the pain was insane. the tops dont even compare and actually my tongue is pretty much used to them - i just have to fix this whole speech impediment thing.

#13 Post by **lionfish** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 4:58 pm

Sorry for the confusion. I meant to say that if you work at it, the 's' sound will come good.

A lot of people here have had more trouble adjusting to bottom braces of any type compared to top braces.

All the best.

#14 Post by **BlahBlah** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 4:10 pm

I didn't use wax at all... I tried it but it made me want to vomit.. i think if u don't use wax it will help u get used to the braces feel against your tongue quicker... I just used wax to cover my gap that i had between my 2 front teeth...

#15 Post by **eoconnor** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:42 am

i agree - i'm really trying to wean myself off the wax completely but it seems like i will always need it on the back lower linguals b/c the wire is always sticking out (it moves very quickly) and i dont feel like going to the ortho like every wk

how do i get that figure on the bottom of my email that tracks how long i've had my linguals! i'm dying to put it on to keep track!!!!