Linguals - Day 10: My thoughts and a couple of questions

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#1 Post by **billybob** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:02 am

Hi everyone!

This is my first post, although have been reading this site ever since i made my first consultation appointment, and have found it to be a great source of information on what to expect.

Anyway, had upper linguals fitted 10 days ago (lowers to follow in 6 weeks), and here are my thoughts so far...

About Me
I'm age 35 and my front 2 teeth are prominent, and i'll require an extraction to make everything straight. I had a brace fitted when i was 14 or so, but i'm pretty sure things had gone wrong by the time i was 17, and i couldn't face going through it again (which i obviously regret in hindsight!) I think over the years, the front 2 have become slightly more prominent, and on discovering linguals about two years ago, i finally got round to doing something about it. I'm also having lower linguals fitted in about 6 weeks to correct bite and move a couple of teeth that will conflict with the newly alligned uppers. Treatment will last 20-22 months, i've been told.

Eating
Unlike some people i haven't had any issues eating. First night had fish, and since had curry, and last night a steak. The reduced chewing surface does take a while to get used to, and also the reduced space in your mouth is an issue - nearly had a disaster with some sushi that previously I would have eaten whole, but now nearly caused me to choke - took a long time to get that down, so now cut them in half! The steak was fine, although some bits went down perhaps not as chewed as they should have been, which caused me to swallow a little hard, but otherwise no issues.

The worst thing is how you feel after you've eaten - paranoid about any leftovers showing - so far have been going to the bathroom to check after every course and finishing, although to be fair hasn't been anything visible. I also find i keep probing my tongue around the brackets to fish out anything that might have got stuck. This is probably a bit obvious, so i'll have to learn to chill on that a bit. Rubbing an already sensitivite tongue (more on that further down) over the brackets does agrravate any bits that are sensitive though. I also seem to lose whatever bits of wax i've applied, but i'm assuming that they're harmless!

So all in all, eating was much better than i expected.

Speaking
Here it hasn't been quite so plain sailing. I would say that now on Day 10, my speech is mostly ok... until we get late in the evening, particularly after food (maybe as i've lost the wax?), and certainly if i've had a few drinks. I went into the office on Day 4, and was very self conscious about it, and was sure a few people looked at me strangely, but no-one said anything - as someone pointed out on an earlier post, most people are far too busy or concerned about other things to really notice. Day 5 i went out with a very good friend and got riotously drunk, and i thought i was lisping quite badly, but he didn't say anything - and he's the type of guy who would! Since then things have got steadily better and better, and my wife this morning said she thought my speech was back to normal - although i'm guessing it may play up a little later in the day. Everything i'd read before said that it would take about 7-10 days, and that seems to hold true, although i'm still a bit nervous about having a lingering lisp that never really goes away. I speak quite fast, so it's been pretty difficult to slow myself down, and i think speaking quickly makes it worse. I'm sure if i get drunk, it will manifest itself more, but hopefully everyone else will be too drunk to notice!

In hindsight, i'd like to have them fitted and then gone on holiday, then no-one would have known. Certainly the first few days in the office were pretty bad (to me at least).

Discomfort
Whilst taking a while to get used to all this metal on the inside of your mouth, and my tongue feeling like it had been put through a mincer, there was no real discomfort from the pressure on my teeth. I could certainly feel it for the first few days, and they were sensitive to tapping, but nothing that required painkillers or anything. There's now only really 2 teeth were i can feel ongoing mild pressure - nothing on the rest.

My tongue was a bit sore until day 6/7 or so (about the same time my speech started to improve). I used the wax and applied Bongela to my tongue. I only applied wax to the back bracket on either side - where my tongue seemed to rub most. I found putting wax on at the front to protect the tongue (which i guess must get hammered on the front brackets when you say "S" etc), but i found it made my lisp worse - even more space between my tongue and teeth, so i just toughed it out.

Some questions
As i said above, i no longer have any real pressure on most of the uppers bar the 2 teeth either side of my front two. My first adjustment isn't until early October, so i'm a bit concerned they're not moving as fast as they could. Frankly i could take a bit more tightening, if this would speed things up?! Any thoughts?

I know you haven't got any photos, but does anyone have any views on how things might move - given all the pressure is on the 2 teeth either side of my front two, i'm guessing they'll move in a bit first, which may actually leave the front 2 looking even more prominent? Until they extract the tooth, there's not much space for everything, i guess, although it would be nice if they all moved together! I don't really fancy things getting worse, before they get better! Is this a common issue?

Does your speech take a knockback after adjustments, or should it stay settled now?

Does having lower linguals affect speech? Will be a bit annoying to have to go back to lisping for another 7-10 days when they get fitted. I'm guessing that the underside of the tongue will be more sensitive to the brackets though.

Final word
Firstly apologies for length of post, but hopefully people considering treatment may find it useful. And secondly, if you are considering it, my advice is to go for it. My teeth bothered me for years, and now i'm so happy they're on, because that means they'll be coming off soon (well in about 20 months time), and i know the time will fly by, and it will be great seeing the improvements!

#2 Post by **xTc** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:48 am

Thanks for the insightful post! I am considering linguals, because like you I wore braces when I was younger and my teeth moved, nothing major but enough to make me a bit self-conscious.

Your long post was great, really helps people like me who are considering getting linguals. It's nice to hear you were eating normally quite soon as I love to eat, and your speech seems to be good from what you said (Considering you will hear every little list 10x worse than other people do).

About having the adjustments early, maybe it's worth asking your ortho? But what's most likely is that they have to do it a little at a time, I remember from having braces first time round my teeth would kill for a few days after the adjustment, then they'd be fine. I never wanted adjustments because it always hurt, and I remember them being every couple of months, but looking back I probably would have thought the same as you - can't I get more regular adjustments to speed it up? It might be worth asking though.

From what I've seen around here movment begins after a couple of months, sometimes sooner, sometimes not. There are a few pictures knocking around showing movement.

As for lower Linguals, I think most people find them to be a lot easier on speech than Uppers, uppers mainly make you lisp because of the tongue hitting the bracket/wire when you say "S".

Have a good browse around, there's loads of people in the same position with the same queries.

Thanks for the post and keep us updated!

#3 Post by **lionfish** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:23 pm

Hi,

I wouldn't be concerned that your teeth aren't moving. The fact that you don't appear to have much pressure doesn't mean that the wire isn't working for you.

As to how your teeth will move throughout treatment, I couldn't say. Ask your ortho what his plan is for your treatment and this may give you a better insight. Things often do get worse before they get better, so prepare yourself for this.

My speech pretty much settled down after a few weeks and adjustments didn't affect it. Getting extra stuff e.g. elastics had a small impact, but nothing that interfered with speech in a major way.

I did not do lower linguals, but there are others here who have/had them and I'm sure they'll fill you in on their effects.

#4 Post by **lingualslady** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:18 am

I have no experience of having just the top done, but I think the bottom ones are the hardest to cope with.

The bottom ones cause more discomfort to the tounge so most of the ulcers i have are underneath and on the side from the lower brace. Be prepared with lots more wax and bonjela.

I think the top effects your speech more but youre already used to them so I dont think your lisp should come back... although, if I talk a lot I get more ulcers then my tounge swells and my slight lisp definitely gets worse beofre it calms down again.

#5 Post by **Noellenoelle** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:27 am

Hi Billybob--Well..I wish I had the tops fitted first, but I had my bottoms...and am postponing my tops till my mouth is healed. I am GLAD to hear that the bottoms are harder to adjust to, since I have been having some major problems. I think part of my problem is I have a small pallet and a big tongue, so it makes it worse...It was horrible the first 10 days, then it got better, but now the teeth are moving, so I had to go to the ortho yesterday and have them file down the bracket and clip the wire--but needless to say-this happened over a week-end, so I was in a lot of pain...just kept putting wax on it, but they kept breaking through. (someone on here suggested sugarless gum, so I now have trident sticks on hand in case I need them. But the problem is, once your tongue gets cut, you get the ulcers that are so painful!! I am waiting to heal my mouth before getting the tops on--(I hae only had the bottoms on for 5 weeks--seems like longer

I will be getting the tops on 2 1/2 months after the bottoms. I have noticed a lot of movement in my teeth in just 5 weeks, so that is encouraging..

When are you beginning your process? As far as speech for the bottoms, if I don't have a canker sore, etc-you can't even tell I have them on...Hope this helps and let me know how you are doing!

#6 Post by **billybob** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:59 pm

All,

Thanks for your responses to date in what's been an "interesting" first 2 weeks. Things have really settled down now, although having said my speech is back to normal, when i came back from a weekend away, and was back in the office, i have found it could play up every now and again - i guess when i'm in the office and going out, you tend to speak faster and louder. When i noticed it, i then seemed to be able to control it, but to be honest, it was so much better than the week before in the office, i doubt anyone apart from me noticed! Will see what happens at a friend's leaving drinks tonight!

I've decided i won't rush my second appointment, and will find out more about the treatment plan when i get the lowers fitted in just under 7 weeks. I'm best man at a wedding in 6 weeks time, so hopefully speech will be perfect by then, and don't want to have just had lowers fitted! It makes sense that the lowers will be more uncomfortable (given the sensitivity of the underside of your tongue), so i can see why he didn't put both on at once - uppers mean you can't speak, and lowers give you bad ulcers - best to separate out the embarassment/pain/discomfort! I can see it affecting speech though if the tongue swells up - although "S"s should be under control by then. I only currently put wax on the back bracket on either side, but guess i may need a bit more on the lowers??

I will raise with my ortho the lack of pressure though as maybe when i've had the extraction and have both sets on, can move things on a bit, but for time being, will trust there's a plan, will accept things may get worse before they get better, and will be a little more patient!!

By the way, does anyone have any good websites to order wax from etc. I was given Orthosil, but if anyone has any other recommendations, i'd be interested to hear. And finally, how long do people use the wax for - the whole treatment, or just a few months (and maybe after adjustments)?

#7 Post by **lionfish** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:09 pm

Billybob, in relation to your question about wax, I used it more during the first weeks. I periodically found the need to wax up a pokey wire or bracket that had moved into a new position - usually after an adjustment - but these irritations were comparatively short lived.

See if your ortho can supply you with wax. Mine gave me as much as I wanted, free of charge.

#8 Post by **saps** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:08 am

Same with me. I used a lot of wax initially and then just occasionally after adjustments. My ortho gave me wax and if I ran out, I'd grab some at the local drugstore (which was better wax).