Just got linguals...when will slurring stop?

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#1 Post by **squirt** » Mon May 23, 2005 2:41 pm

I am new to this board so hello. I just got linguals (upper and lower) 5 days ago. I do not have wires yet, as I will be having four teeth extracted on Thurs. Then I get wires the following week. I knew that there would be a speech problem following the installation of these things but I didn't realize how bad it would be. How long does it last? I'm working hard to practice speaking but it is not helping. In fact I feel like I'm speaking more poorly than yesterday. Has anyone had this problem? And if so, what can I do? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to have them on finally but this speech impediment is killing me. Also, does anyone know how quickly results can be seen? A few months? a year? I had regular braces years ago for four and a half years and you'd never know. I can't believe I'm doing this again.

Thanks.

#2 Post by **Guest** » Tue May 24, 2005 4:39 pm

The slurring? Sadly, there's no on/off switch for it... It's the most irritating, slow part of the lingual braces process. While you may feel that you're speaking worse today, I doubt it... you probably came across words that trip you up more than others... took me a very long time to say STATISTICAL. Talk as much as can, read out loud, sing a long to songs... Do it constantly... Don't focus so much on the day to day improvement and pay attention to the weekly results. I'll say maybe 4-5 weeks in I thought I was speaking normally, but every once in a while I'd have a really bad day (your tongue can get tired a little fast w/ the linguals) and other times I'd need to use certain words that I just couldn't get out. At week 7 I thought I was speaking perfectly, but eventually would find that I still had some problem words. I'd say that you'll be in the 85 to 90th percentile by 12 weeks for sure. I had difficulty sometimes when I was speaking very fast, w/ a tired tongue, and trying to get out a trouble word... all at once, but that was a rarity. Now, I'm 8 months in and think I'm prob. 99-100% capable and have been for about the last 2 or 3 months.

As for movement results... this can get exciting... especially at the beginning. Two weeks in I thought there might be some movement but I couldn't be sure. A month in, there was a place where I was positive there had been movement but no one else would probably notice. 1 1/2 months in though... it was clear things were changing... a lot of people had noticed. I went home at the 2 month mark and someone who I hadn't seen in just those 2 months stopped me and just exclaimed without thinking: "YOUR TEETH! They look totally different!" Problem is, no one knows I have braces... so I just quickly replied w/ "They're whiter?" I could tell she was kinda embarrassed, and she just said "umm... I don't know... maybe it's nothing." And dropped it. But yeah, movement has slowed a little now, but I do see a lot of changes in my bite still.

A tip about the speech: I know it's tough to speak a ton to get some practice, but do that on your alone time. I remember how embarrassing it'd be w/ a lisp around my friends (or especially at parties and such trying to meet new people) so I quickly caught what sounds would trip me up and avoided them around other people. The tip? Speak very slowly (but hopefully still naturally) and think about every upcoming word. It's doubly beneficial because you can omit the words that are gonna trip you up (you'll be exercising your mental thesaurus quite a bit) and you sound a lot smarter now that you're thinking before you speak.

Good luck. Any other questions feel free to return to the board.

-Fimo

#3 Post by AG » Wed May 25, 2005 3:41 am

What type of lingual braces are you wearing? Lingualcare or ORMCO braces?

#4 Post by **crustybread** » Wed May 25, 2005 7:50 am

Key with the slurring etc is not to become an impatient recluse. Don't be paranoid, people you see every day will understand, and those you see less regularly probably won't notice.

I'm in a very people-facing job and it was tough. After a few weeks I found that I was using my tongue further back in my mouth, and talking with a differently shaped mouth - almost 'delicately articulating' the words. That made me more paranoid, but now people think I've not got braces at all, which is something you can DEFINITELY look forward to.

Just remember that you hear your voice more than anyone else, so are more critical of it. Don't panic.

#5 Post by **squirt** » Wed May 25, 2005 10:43 am

Thank you for the encouraging words and advice!!! I guess I have been in somewhat of a panic because I didn't realize how frustrating this would be. Tomorrow I am having four teeth extracted which has me in even more of a panic. 4 teeth at once!!! When I told the receptionist at my ortho that she said, "ooohhh you're doing it all at once??? Good luck...yikes." Nice. I've made it through childbirth, you'd think I wouldn't even bat an eyelash at this. BUT I'm REALLY scared. If there is anyone who has had experience with extractions how long will I be in pain? I had wisdom teeth (impacted) removed at once and that was a good week of discomfort. Tomorrow I'm only getting novocaine. Will I feel anything? I feel like such a baby!

#6 Post by **crustybread** » Wed May 25, 2005 11:17 am

Okay, deep breath... aaaand, relax!

I had both upper first premolar/bicuspids removed together last Weds, so exactly a week ago (i.e. 2 teeth out), and at the same time I had 2 holes drilled and a microscrew impanted between the molars at the top on each side to provide anchorage to pull the front teeth back. All with novocaine.

First the doc gave me 2 shots on each side of the mouth and left me for 5 mins, then he came back and pushed the teeth around. One hurt very slightly so I audibly winced to make it sound more painful than it was, and he gave me another 4 shots. Then I was numb from my chin to my eyelids, couldn't feel them as I blinked and couldn't flare my nostrils as I am often wont to do.

He was going nuts wih the teeth and it took him a good 6-7 mins and lots of walking around, stretching his pliers arm and opening windows for fresh air before the right one came out. The left was easier. They didn't break so he didn't need to go in and pull little bits out.

15mins later when the bleeding had slowed he gave me another 2 shots nearer the molars and started drilling holes for the microscrews immediately. No pain at all.

That afternoon when the novocaine wore off I had slight neckache but no tooth pain except slight discomfort where the microscrews sat above my molars, but no more than a severe brace tightening routine. I didn't take any painkillers because frankly, I've had worse headaches.

All I can give you for advice to relax is to trust in the novocaine - it really works a treat. After the doc goes at you with the weird chisel looking thing and all you hear is the noise and no pain, you just sit back and let him do his thing! Of course at that moment of truth you'll immediately perspire a thin sheet of cold sweat but you'll relax soon enough.

Remember to wince if you even have a hint of pain though, make sure you're over anaesthetised if anything!!

GOOD LUCK!

#7 Post by **drrick** » Wed May 25, 2005 12:54 pm

dot worry it will get better. Just keep practicing.

I had a pt who I put upper and lower lingual braces on. About 2 weeks later he had to give a presentation as he was a national sales manager. This was in front of about 1000 people. I was more nervous abou his speaking than he was. He did great and he asked several of his friends in the audience if they noticed anything funky about his speech. They said no and asked why. Then he tipped his head back and showed the braces.

Trust me it will get better

#8 Post by **squirt** » Wed May 25, 2005 1:49 pm

Thank you soooo much again for the encouragement. I'm going to try and relax tonight in preparation for tomorrow's extractions. I'm sure it will be fine. I will let the oral surgeon know ahead of time that it turns out I'm a wimp. It's just nice to know there are people out there with whom I can commisserate about this stuff. So next Friday I get my wires (finally) and things will finally start moving (hopefully). I know that I will be sore for the following few days (remember I did the braces thing before). Here's another silly question though. About how long do the big ole spaces hang around in your mouth after the extractions? I know it must be a long while. Also will my teeth move randomly between the extractions and getting wires? I realize that some of my questions/concerns must seem really silly to some of you veterans but I guess I didn't ask many questions going into this because I wanted to just do it so badly.

Thanks again!!

#9 Post by **drrick** » Wed May 25, 2005 2:02 pm

things will actually be "smoother" one the wire is in.
It always feels worse when the wire is out.

#10 Post by **crustybread** » Thu May 26, 2005 2:03 am

Wire in will be much better, agreed. As for movement not sure but I wouldn't expect much - I've been told about 1mm per month with the anchor is an optimistic rate of travel! Without it there should be negligible movement.

#11 Post by **canicula** » Thu May 26, 2005 4:46 am

crustybread wrote:I'm in a very people-facing job and it was tough.

Same here. I did notice that when I was giving talks etc to groups of people I was concentrating so much on articulating correctly that I didn't actually get nervous about the act of public speaking. I did before at times.

Every cloud has a silver lining as they say...

Ian

#12 Post by **squirt** » Thu May 26, 2005 6:06 am

Sorry, you mentioned something about an anchor? Not sure what that is.
Leaving for extractiions in an hour...wish me luck.