Metal Mouth Message Board

I get my aligners next week to close large gaps between my teeth. I am concerned about problems speaking, such as a lisp. I work in an office and am on the phone alot. I need to be understood clearly. Anyone have any issues? If so, for how long?

HI there,
I can only speak for myself, and I know I am lucky in this respect but I had no more than 15 minutes of lisping with my first aligners. Since then, nothing. I don't feel like my speech is affected in any way, even when I change to new aligners.

I have heard people say that it can take a couple of days to get used to them though.

I lisped for a day or two at most. Everyone said it wasn't too noticeable though - you can still hold a normal conversation

You might find it helps to slow your speech down a bit, and keep a glass of water to hand - it helps if you stay hydrated.

Never had any lisping until my last aligner (11th) which had lifted off the teeth for the first few days creating a gap. This caused me to lisp badly anything with an S, but i am now on aligner 12 and it seems the gap has closed, so hopefully no lisping.

In my case, my speech actually improved. My lower front teeth were contacting the gums behind my front uppers prior to treatment causing gum irritation that bothered me when speaking. My upper aligner protected the injured area and stopped the irritation. I couldn't tell any difference in my speech, but people asked me to repeat myself much lesss often.

I give presentations on my job and the biggest problem is my mouth gets dry, so having water available is very helpful. Since I've had attachments, these irritate the inside of my cheeks when speaking with my aligners out. Compliance just got easier!

You'll probably lisp a little for the first few days. Try to not speak too fast and not too loud or soft and it shouldn't be too noticeable. If it's very noticeable and someone comments, then you can just tell them you started Invisalign. I think most people would be understanding and once their curiosity is satisfied, they can focus on the conversation.

I had a lisp for like 2 days tops. Never had a problem since.

You know, this isn't always the case. I've not lisped in 6 months of treatment, even my first day i never lisped, but my latest aligners are now giving me a bit of a lisp. So the fact you may list 1-2 days and then get better isn't really an indication you'll never lisp again after you're used to them.

I got over the lisping in about a day but I have noticed an ongoing challenge when I talk to large groups. I'm on 16/20 U&L and have given a few presentations, without a mic, in the past month to groups of about 150. I have had to be much more careful not to trip over my words than in my pre-aligner days.

- Greg

I happen to lisp like there's no tomorrow! I dread saying the number five because I can't. I too work in an office enviroment and I notice that I lisp. Although, some of my coworkers didn't A) know that I was lisping and B) know that I even had my invisalighn in! I notice the change in my speach but, as far as other people noticing I don't know. But then again I have a habbit of speaking very fast so, now I have to slow down and pronounance every word. But at the end of the day its not bad at all!

I have had problems with lisping since the beginning. Funnily enough, I think it's worse when I'm thinking about it and focusing on it! I am a martial arts instructor part time, so it's really hard because I'm constantly speaking to large groups and I always dread the number "six" because I lisp on it so badly haha. "Situps" and "pushups" is also a problem! I have had a few people notice. I was actually bad in the beginning and sometimes even still - I will take the bottom aligner out (leave the top one in) and my speech will be fine. Sometimes the tray will be out for up to 2-3 hrs in a row. Bad, I know.

I think the key is to 'practice' when in private, and then when out and about try not to dwell on it too much - it seems to exacerbate the problem!

I had a slight lisp for the first day of my first aligner then I was fine, I had elastics attached with my second aligner and since I have a really noticable lisp which people at work keep noticing and my Fiance keeps teasing me about. I hope it doesn't last too long it has been 4 days and it is still there! Luckily I do not need to talk on the phone or deal with the public at work.
Bee

lisping has got worse over time