Speech

Message

#1 Post by **lpasky** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:33 am

I am 43 years old and have had my braces on for just a little over a month. I swear, I have trouble with my speech. It is like talking with a mounth full of marbles. Very embarrassing!! Does anyone else have this problem?

#2 Post by **dissonance** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 1:09 pm

YES!! It's been almost three weeks for me and I think you hit the nail on the head saying it feels like a mouth full of marbles. I'm a bit lispy, and if I get even a little dehydrated, it feels like my tongue is twice its normal size.

#3 Post by **ashk36** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:01 pm

The only thing about my braces that is affecting my speech are my elastics that I just got today! I feel like I'm mumbling since I can't open my mouth very far. The absolute worst thing for my speech was when my previous dentist had me in a Schwartz appliance. It was horrible. I had the worst lisp ever. And I had them on top and bottom. And the bottom was extremely bulky, so I couldn't even close my mouth all the way. The first few days I wore them, I brought a pad of paper and pen with me everywhere and just wrote notes to people because actually speaking was so embarrassing for me. And don't even get me started on the drooling/spitting. I'm SO glad I got a second opinion...in fact, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go grab that Schwartz and smash it with a hammer right now.

#4 Post by **Jenn S** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:05 pm

Keeping hydrated, wax, and lots of lip balm have been an enourmous help for me.
When I have to give a formal presentation and I want to avoid wax globs, (this may sound gross) I wipe a chapstick (Burt's Bees for me) over my wires for a temporary glob free lubrication. Okay I warned you it was gross!

This baces business is not for wimps!

#5 Post by **allisun** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:34 pm

When I have to give a formal presentation and I want to avoid wax globs, (this may sound gross) I wipe a chapstick (Burt's Bees for me) over my wires for a temporary glob free lubrication. Okay I warned you it was gross!

That's not so gross, supposedly models put Vaseline on their teeth to make smiling easier!

#6 Post by **danish** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:42 pm

I remember clearly how surprised I was when I discovered I couldn't say the name "Julia" properly. Sounded more like "Dulia". Haha

I worked with customers on the phone every day and especially in the beginning of my treatment I must have sounded like a person with a speech defect (no offence to anyone with this problem). However, your speech should normalize within short time. Some sounds might still be challenging such as the "j" sound if you for instance have a TPA (TransPlatal Arch) fitted.

Danish

#7 Post by **Jethro** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:34 pm

It's been just over 2 months for me and I still occasionally have some difficulty speaking, usually after a long day of conversation. I always keep water nearby and stay hydrated, but I still sound like I have been "overserved" once in a while.

Last week, while meeting with colleagues, it finally happened: inexplicably, a large "saliva ball" flew out of my mouth and onto the papers on the table

! I don't embarrass easily, but that was humiliating. It was like a slo-mo replay and I could see every eye in the room following it to the landing pad. I said "excuse me" and continued talking

. I definitely had several adult beverages when I got home that night.

Follow the great suggestions given here and things should improve over time...hang in there.

#8 Post by **thisisme** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:41 pm

I got my braces a few hours ago and I had to get use to talking for about half an hour...
However I already had a lisp, so really my voice couldn't change.

#9 Post by **dissonance** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:50 pm

Jethro wrote:Last week, while meeting with colleagues, it finally happened: inexplicably, a large "saliva ball" flew out of my mouth and onto the papers on the table ! I don't embarrass easily, but that was humiliating. It was like a slo-mo replay and I could see every eye in the room following it to the landing pad. I said "excuse me" and continued talking .

That has already happened to me too! Oh... the fun of braces! Fortunately I think most people have either been there and feel sorry for us or just in general feel sorry for us, lol.

#10 Post by **switchblades** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:12 pm

I too work in customer service - at a record store. I love it, but it's proven difficult since I got braced (2 days after starting where I am now, but I worked at a different store in the same chain until it closed in December of 2007). Sometimes when I'm trying to tell a customer what their total will come to, I get tongue-tied with two's and sixes. Forget "sixty"! haha

It's been worse since I woke up Sunday on my face after a pretty crazy night out with coworkers...I slept like a rock, but was biting the inside of my lips! I'm loaded up with wax now that I'm home, but I can't wear it at work because it looks terrible.

#11 Post by **berries** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:08 pm

I've been in braces more than two years and am sorry to say I still have some speech woes. Some days are better than others. I think that as my teeth have shifted (I had two teeth pulled), I've had to readjust again and again to the location of the brackets.