Speaking with a retainer

[Papa Joe]

So i got my braces off 3 days ago after about 16 months with them. . But i have to wear the retainer full time for about 6months, plate type on the top with wire running around the front and glued metal thingee behind my bottoms . Only take top retainer it out to brush my teeth.
I am finding it really hard to talk , like a really bad lisp, hard to pronounce words without mumbling or slurring words together. Doesn't seem to be getting any better .
Anyone had this experience ??

[sirwired]

Should take about a week... the only way to speed up the process is to talk a lot (to yourself, if necessary... reading aloud works fine) to help your tongue re-train.

[veginess]

It is hard at first, but it really does get better over time. I thought for sure there is no way that I could ever speak clearly with my hawley retainer in, but I am able to do it pretty well now. There's just a few sounds now that I can't make clearly, but I am still understood. Just practice! Sing and talk to yourself while wearing them and it will get better, I promise!