Upper Linguals & Lower Ceramics - Day one

[allycat]

hey ive had linguals for a year now...the results are amazing so stick with it.. the first weeks are hard until you get used to things, i dont even notice mine at all anymore but after a week or so things do really start to improve. i only lisped for the first month but this is definitely worse if your dehydrated or your mouth is a bit dry so drinking lots of water helps, also the more you talk/sing whatever the quicker your mouth will get used to them....

[RobinsonCruesoe]

Hey Allycat

Thanks for stopping by, I'm definitely sticking with them. The thought of "not" smiling for the rest of my life is worth any of this trouble. I'm sure my speech will pick up, i've had flits of being perfect so I guess i'm adapting just waiting for it to become permanent.

I'm still surprised at the lack of pain for my tongue, it seems to be resistant to pain. Only one bracket caused me to use wax (surprise suprise it was the very last molar bracket). If my speech gets back to 100% soon I can honestly say I think this will be quite pleasureable, my only concern at the minute is a big assessment day I have which is still 12 days away. If my speech is still off by Monday i'm going to move it back a further week.

How quickly would you say you noticed movement and how long did it take to get your teeth are straight?. My uppers are much worse than my lowers and I expect the lower ceramics to be off significantly before my uppers.

[allycat]

hey.....good luck with the assessment, i think 12 days may be fine but if its making you lack confidence cos your speech is off then i'd move it if you have the choice. i guess its different for everyone but my speech was perfect within a month, unless i was drunk or really tired but now its perfect whatever so you do get used to it. i have a herbst appliance now as well which makes linguals seems like nothing but a small blip in my mouth!!

there was movement within the first month....although i have to admit it wasnt that noticable to me at first.but my ortho was quick to point out they had moved considerably already in that time...i think within 3-4 months there was a HUGE difference to my teeth and they were pretty much straight by that point but my problem is as well as having overcrowded teeth i also have a large overjet which is taking most of the treatment time.

[lu lu]

Lulu,

12 days would be awesome, i've definitely noticed it getting slightly better, people at work havent noticed so I can't be too far off.

I too have a very small mouth, in the words of numerous dentists and my Ortho "The smallest mouth I've ever seen", which I think leads to the overcrowding.

I agree with the extra saliva, I definitely notice that, protein shakes seem to increase this feeling but as my eating/chewing isn't great they are getting me by.

As far as the reading outlod goes would you say you were reading for hours or just the odd hour daily?

Really pleased you back to 100%, if I get there as quickly as you I think i'm going to actually "like" having my linguals on. Definitely seeing movement already, again it's only minor but it's nice to see.

x

I wasn't reading out loud for long. Maybe an hour here & there if that.

Then talking on & off at work but again not an excessive amount of talking because we've been so quiet but tried answering the phones as much as I could to practice.

Alot of it I found was confidence too. If I relaxed & didn't think about it too much I was pretty ok. If I thought about it too much I felt it slipping.

x

[RobinsonCruesoe]

It' so frustrating at the minute, I'm hit and miss. It now seems to be a lisp rather than an inability of getting the words out, although I did have a solid hour or so of pretty much perfect speaking earlier so can't complain.

I'm trying to not think about it but until it improves a bit i'm struggling on that front. Again it's not too bad at the moment.

[RobinsonCruesoe]

So a further update at 6 days in, its becoming more regular so I'm definitely adapting.

Weirdly I seem to talk better with a drier mouth, which goes against pretty much everything I've read here. I think the lack of water helps me to get the words out rather than spluttering. First thing in the morning I'm at my best, I'm going to dry the whole day with my standard amounts of water or less and see if it helps.

I'm finally eating properly, chewing for the first time, which is great news. I think it's helping with my speech as I become less gentle and cautious with my teeth. I'm also learning to not be so bothered if I lisp or slur a word slightly.

So all in all it's been a positive day, extractions tomorrow so not expecting tomorrow to be good day.

[ShySmile]

Good luck with your extractions! Let us know how you go.
Finally got my wire placed yesterday, lisping again...oh well.

[RobinsonCruesoe]

So...

My extractions have been delayed, one of them is tricky and the surgeon didn't want to risk it as it's very close to the nerve which controls feeling in my bottom lip. So i'm being referred for general and having all 4 teeth out at the same time. The bonus being i don't have to pay but it won't be for a few weeks at least. My orthodontist doesn't seem to think it will slow movement, but if it feels it is the top teeth will be taken out by them to aid movement.

Onto the less positive news, my wire which I feared had broke was "fractured" into 3 pieces. So today I had too have a more stiff wire put in place which is slightly more bulky which I was supposed to get at my first adjustment, my teeth hurt more already so I think they will move quicker with the new wire. BUT my speech has taken a setback because of this, just when I thought I was getting the hang of it i've landed up with a wire almost double the thickness which makes saying "decision" impossible without sounding like I have some kind of impediment.

It's quite frustrating but hopefully I'll adapt more quickly to this wire, as i've been there before.

Shysmile how are you getting on with your wire? still lisping/slurring or you quickly got over it?

[lu lu]

Hey RobinsonCruesoe!!

Sorry to hear about your extractions & wire.

My speech has slipped the last couple of days & I don't know why

I still sound ok just not as clear sounding as I was before. I was back to normal but feels like it's a struggle again at times. Got that brace sound that keeps creeping back GRRRRR!!

x

[RobinsonCruesoe]

Hi Lulu,

That's not good news, My speech is ok I find a lot of it is in my head. Today I was busy working away having a conversation whilst focusing on a few things on my computer and spoke perfectly. So I think i've got to try forget it's their because if you actually think about it the brackets are a couple of mm's so how much difference can they actually make.

Rap music seems to be a cure for me too, the speed of the words is speeding my adaptation up quickly,sometimes I totally fail though but it's quite funny. I've also started dealing with it the best way I know how which is to make fun of myself, everybody at work is just joking along with me now as they think I have a sore tongue haha.

The thicker wire seems to have both positives and negatives, my teeth are sore again which definitely impacts speech as I don't want my tongue to hit them. But it's a lot smoother so no sharp bits to catch my tongue on which means my tongue is more adventurous.

All in all a pretty good day, i'm learning to just accept it and try not to care if I slur/lisp a word slightly, as long as I keep talking and people understand(god hate that word still) they will have forgot by the time i'm finished.

The postive news of my extractions is they will now be free, so extra money for clothes this christmas.

Can't believe nobody has noticed the ceramic bracket so far....
x

[RobinsonCruesoe]

Hi Guys,

How are you both getting on?

My speech is ok, I don't stumble over words but some are still a bit "off" but I'm just getting on with it. Everyone understands me and says me speech is better, over the weekend wih my friends I actually totally forgot about them so i'm certain this is going o be fine from here on in. I would prefer my speech to be better but it's at least acceptable to me now. Perhaps as the months go on it will get back to 100% but 90% isn't too bad.

Hope things are better for both of you too

[lu lu]

Hi Guys,

How are you both getting on?

My speech is ok, I don't stumble over words but some are still a bit "off" but I'm just getting on with it. Everyone understands me and says me speech is better, over the weekend wih my friends I actually totally forgot about them so i'm certain this is going o be fine from here on in. I would prefer my speech to be better but it's at least acceptable to me now. Perhaps as the months go on it will get back to 100% but 90% isn't too bad.

Hope things are better for both of you too

Howdy again!

Glad you're getting on ok.
My speech hasn't been right this afternoon & to be honest it doesn't flow as easily as it did when I thought I had nailed it. It's ok though I can cope with it. Sometimes its a chore to sound properly.

Don't get me wrong it's not a major problem I sound ok. Just slips. My tongue is a bit sore today so maybe thats why.

Dreading having the wire fitted & having to learn to talk again.

2 weeks & counting & dreading it

x

[RobinsonCruesoe]

Hey LuLu,

I wouldn't worry about the wire too much I think it might even help you, I had my assessment day on Friday, 4 interviews, group discussions and a presentation and my speech held up. I've been offered the job so my confidence is sky high and my speech is nearly perfect.

The odd word could sound off still, but I'm not looking for it so I don't worry. Finally used to them and can honestly say it's a pleasure. Boone can see them, speech is fine, eating is fine.

I'm finally happy with them

[RobinsonCruesoe]

Just a further update, I had my two upper extractions today. I'm not sure I should say this but it was actually "pleasurable" compared to what I was expecting. Both popped out within a few seconds of being pulled and away I went.

Really hoping now the space has been created my teeth will finally go to their home (Correct position) in my mouth.

I love my linguals...

[lu lu]

Just a further update, I had my two upper extractions today. I'm not sure I should say this but it was actually "pleasurable" compared to what I was expecting. Both popped out within a few seconds of being pulled and away I went.

Really hoping now the space has been created my teeth will finally go to their home (Correct position) in my mouth.

I love my linguals...

Lucky you!!!!

I had mine out on Monday (2 upper 1st premolars) & it was awful (worse than my lowers).
1 of them snapped (I knew it was going to the way he was tugging at it) & I have been left with a bit of root in that he can't get out.

His taken an xray & is sending it to my ortho to see if it can be left in or if it's going to get in the way. Not happy about this I want it out I think. I know i'll worry otherwise. So that means i've got to have my gum cut open so he can get to it. I'll wait until I see my ortho next week & then tell my dentist I want it out I think. (Get xmas out the way 1st I think & let my mouth settle it's so sore)

Glad your loving your linguals btw

x