I know some have adjusted fine, others still have trouble - but has anyone been fine right from the start?
Perhaps I have a wider tongue or something, or perhaps it is normal - but when I put my tongue up to the roof of my mouth I can feel it touch all my teeth from molars forwards, until the ones before my canines.
Just curious, as I am currently looking at all the options for straightening and wondered if lingual braces would leave me talking like Jamie Oliver for two years!
Has anyone with linguals NOT had any speech problems?
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Jamesyeats
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2008 2:34 pm
- Location: UK
I only have lowers on at the moment. When I first got them put on and had to talk to the ortho, I was lisping like mad. I was quite startled by it. But by the time I got home, the lisping had more or less gone. It still happens with S and T sounds though. Others say they dont notice, but I think they do and are just being kind.
I have found a good way for stopping it though. Get silicone wax and cover up the lingual brackets on your four front teeth, so that you can no longer feel metal. You can use normal wax, but it's presence in your mouth is much more noticible than the silicone one. Ive found that the lisping goes away completely when I do this. It has an added bonus of stopping things getting caught in your front tooth lingual brackets. Food is particularly difficult to get out of the front brackets, because, in my case, they are much tighter than the ones on my side teeth. The wax stops it from getting caught in there. You're not supposed to eat with wax on, but I do at work because it's a nightmare constantly having to re-apply and take it off, who has time for that?
Also, you will find that saliva collects in your linguals. So that can affect your speech too. Now, before I speak, I make sure I hoover all the saliva from my mouth and swallow, which helps speech (I know this is not a pleasant image, but still). Wax also stops saliva from collecting around the brackets. I have to have wax on at work, because I feel a little conscious about lisping otherwise.
The most hideous part apart having linguals is the end bits of the wire that poke out of the very last bracket on your teeth. The wire pokes out, which gets worse as the teeth move. My tongue has holes in the side from the sharp ends. Initially it doesnt bother you, but it wears away at your tongue. On one side, I cannot go without wax whatsoever, not even for five minutes. Ive been back to my ortho for them to snip the end, but I think because my tongue is so damaged there, it hurts regardless. My ortho didnt want to put cement over the ends, because she says that it doesnt stick and always comes off quite quickly. Instead she wrapped elastic bands around them, which really helped on one side, but not on the most painful side. So I live with wax permanently on one bracket. A bit annoying, but i'm used to it now.
I have found a good way for stopping it though. Get silicone wax and cover up the lingual brackets on your four front teeth, so that you can no longer feel metal. You can use normal wax, but it's presence in your mouth is much more noticible than the silicone one. Ive found that the lisping goes away completely when I do this. It has an added bonus of stopping things getting caught in your front tooth lingual brackets. Food is particularly difficult to get out of the front brackets, because, in my case, they are much tighter than the ones on my side teeth. The wax stops it from getting caught in there. You're not supposed to eat with wax on, but I do at work because it's a nightmare constantly having to re-apply and take it off, who has time for that?
Also, you will find that saliva collects in your linguals. So that can affect your speech too. Now, before I speak, I make sure I hoover all the saliva from my mouth and swallow, which helps speech (I know this is not a pleasant image, but still). Wax also stops saliva from collecting around the brackets. I have to have wax on at work, because I feel a little conscious about lisping otherwise.
The most hideous part apart having linguals is the end bits of the wire that poke out of the very last bracket on your teeth. The wire pokes out, which gets worse as the teeth move. My tongue has holes in the side from the sharp ends. Initially it doesnt bother you, but it wears away at your tongue. On one side, I cannot go without wax whatsoever, not even for five minutes. Ive been back to my ortho for them to snip the end, but I think because my tongue is so damaged there, it hurts regardless. My ortho didnt want to put cement over the ends, because she says that it doesnt stick and always comes off quite quickly. Instead she wrapped elastic bands around them, which really helped on one side, but not on the most painful side. So I live with wax permanently on one bracket. A bit annoying, but i'm used to it now.
Hey!
If my experience is anything to go by, you will need to work on some sounds but after a few weeks it will be very much business as usual. I can't comment on relative differences between Ibraces or other types and the STb linguals (which I have) but my impression from comments on this forum is that all linguals require some adaptation.
If my experience is anything to go by, you will need to work on some sounds but after a few weeks it will be very much business as usual. I can't comment on relative differences between Ibraces or other types and the STb linguals (which I have) but my impression from comments on this forum is that all linguals require some adaptation.
Thanks for advice guys. I have had the ends snipped, and according to my ortho there is nothing left to snip, but I think the reason it still pokes is because my tongue got pretty badly damaged. I wasnt able to take time off work between ortho appointments, so I had to suffer with poking wires and lots of wax for about a month. Now I dont seem to be able to cope without wax on one side. It's ok til I start speaking, then it just starts hurting again. Hopefully the tongue will become less sensitive now that they have been snipped fully. If not I think I will demand cement on my next visit.
Very little problem with speech
James,
It's day one, and no real problems with speech. My husband says he can just about tell. I think it unlikely people who didn't know me would think there was anything wrong with my speech. This is nothing like the removable brace I had as a teenager. S and T are the only sounds I need to take care on. I would be happy to do a presentation, where I had practised saying the words, for me it's just a question of thinking how I'm going to get my tongue round a word. Good luck with your phone calls, let us all know how you get on
It's day one, and no real problems with speech. My husband says he can just about tell. I think it unlikely people who didn't know me would think there was anything wrong with my speech. This is nothing like the removable brace I had as a teenager. S and T are the only sounds I need to take care on. I would be happy to do a presentation, where I had practised saying the words, for me it's just a question of thinking how I'm going to get my tongue round a word. Good luck with your phone calls, let us all know how you get on
Had my linguals on for 14 months now. For the first few months I sounded like Sylvester the Cat. People are surprised now when I tell them I have braces on (I usually tell them cos I tend to salivate a bit and spit on people when chatting I have found with the braces in). I ask them if they didnt notice my speech was slightly different and they dont usually. I think I sound like listening to speech on a vinyl record now. Kind of slightly hissy lol.
I only came across this website just before plunging to wear some lingual braces on my upper arch only. I like many had many reservations and concerns especially regarding speech and the trauma it would cause my tongue. I work as a doctor and at the age of 29 did not fancy ceramic braces and was wondering about invisalign but decided braces would give better control to a better finish. It’s some crowding and crooked front teeth that I’m trying to rectify.
Anyways I have had them for a week and can happily say that they did not cause me any speech problems. I felt I had a lisp initially as I left the dentist but it was not noticeable to anyone else. No one has commented that something is different awith me. I have been fortunate so far that I haven’t needed to use any wax either. My orthodontist did say that I did have a deep arch and should be fine with the braces.
I was wondering if it’s pretty normal not to feel the pressure on the teeth a week or so after having them fitted. First few days were very painful and had tender teeth but now can’t really feel any pressure on them?
Anyways I have had them for a week and can happily say that they did not cause me any speech problems. I felt I had a lisp initially as I left the dentist but it was not noticeable to anyone else. No one has commented that something is different awith me. I have been fortunate so far that I haven’t needed to use any wax either. My orthodontist did say that I did have a deep arch and should be fine with the braces.
I was wondering if it’s pretty normal not to feel the pressure on the teeth a week or so after having them fitted. First few days were very painful and had tender teeth but now can’t really feel any pressure on them?
pressure
Ada,
Hi I've had mine for 11 days, and no I can't feel any pressure either. Like you I was tender and on analgesics for a few days. On one hand I don't want to be too uncomfortable, but on the other I'm assuming pain is progress. When do you go back? I have an adjustments every three weeks initially. I'm planning to ask about lack of pain, at my next appointment.
Hi I've had mine for 11 days, and no I can't feel any pressure either. Like you I was tender and on analgesics for a few days. On one hand I don't want to be too uncomfortable, but on the other I'm assuming pain is progress. When do you go back? I have an adjustments every three weeks initially. I'm planning to ask about lack of pain, at my next appointment.
I dont go back for another 3 weeks. It will be 4 weeks after having them fitted. Yeah i know what u mean dont like the pain, but figured that it must be causing the teeth to move and now i feel like maybe nothing is happening. Although I have be reassured that movement will still occur even though u cant feel anything.
So far so good, I know something is happening as my bite is starting to change so can only be good news.
So far so good, I know something is happening as my bite is starting to change so can only be good news.