Braces are a highly effective treatment that corrects tooth misalignment, bite misalignment, and cosmetic issues. In addition to helping you achieve a more symmetrical and attractive smile, they can also help with some speech impediments. Once teeth are moved into the proper positions and jaw issues are resolved, speech can become clearer.
However, some patients also develop temporary speech issues upon getting braces or clear aligners. It’s important to stress, though, that such issues are temporary. Keep reading to learn more.
What is a lisp?
A lisp is a speech impairment affecting certain pronunciations, particularly the “s” and “z” sounds. These sounds come out more like “th.” For example, “simple” becomes “thimple” and “zebra” turns into “thebra.”
This speech impediment occurs because the tongue doesn’t hit the right spot in the mouth when making these sounds. The tongue, incorrectly, sticks out between the teeth or fails to touch the roof of the mouth.
4 Types of Lisps
- Interdental lisp: The tongue sticks out between the front teeth when speaking.
- Dentalized lisp: The tongue pushes against the front teeth.
- Lateral lisp: When trying to make an “s” or “z” sound, the air flows over the sides of the tongue instead of down the middle.
- Palatal lisp: The middle part of the tongue touches or comes too close to the palate. The “s” and “z” sounds are distorted.
Can braces give you a lisp?
A lisp is a common side effect of wearing braces. The introduction of braces into the mouth means that your tongue has to learn how to work around that extra hardware. Until the tongue adjusts, it bumps against the braces while trying to pronounce certain sounds. This can cause a lisp. Furthermore, the braces can crowd the tongue, making it harder for the tongue to move and form sounds.
Lingual Braces
Lingual braces, in particular, are troublesome for speech struggles. The attachments are affixed to the back of the teeth with brackets and wires, much like traditional braces (although lingual braces are more discreet). However, the placement of those attachments means there’s less space for your tongue. Your tongue has to adjust, as a result.
Traditional Braces
Traditional metal braces also change the orientation of your tongue to your teeth. Your tongue has to adjust to the presence of the braces, wires, and brackets, which alter its usual path to creating sounds.
Clear Aligners
Your tongue might also need some time to adjust to your new clear aligners. Since clear aligners add bulk to your teeth, your tongue still needs to figure out how to move around them. Aligners are designed to fit snugly, however, so some patients don’t notice any difference in their speech. Regardless, your tongue will quickly adjust!
Misfitting aligners, on the other hand, can cause significant speech problems (along with other oral health and orthodontic issues). That’s why it’s so important to receive treatment through an experienced and knowledgeable orthodontist in Mississauga. At Bristol Dental Clinic, our office is outfitted with the latest dental technologies, which ensure that all clear aligners are properly fitted.
Properly fitted aligners minimally affect the orientation between the tongue and teeth, thus reducing the possibility of any undesirable speech issues.
Is the lisp after getting braces permanent?
If you only developed a lisp after getting braces, fear not; the speech impediment is not permanent. As you become accustomed to braces, your tongue learns how to move around them. Your speech will soon return to normal. You’ll be able to pronounce your “s’s” and “z’s” in the proper way, just like you did before you began your orthodontic treatment.
You might also experience some speech issues once the braces are removed since your tongue will once again have to adapt to the new spacial environment. Be patient and rest assured that these changes are not permanent.
How long will braces affect your speech?
The speech problems associated with braces are temporary. Ultimately, your tongue will adjust to the presence of braces or clear aligners. Exactly how long this takes, however, depends on the patient.
In some cases, speech may return to normal in just a few days. Nonetheless, patients should anticipate a two-to-three-month adjustment window with some distorted speech.
Don’t get frustrated if your mouth isn’t able to adapt to braces immediately. It’s only a matter of time. In an emergency, do not hesitate to visit your orthodontist in Mississauga.
Do you need speech therapy to adjust to braces?
No, speech therapy is not typically needed for speech impediments caused by braces. Speech problems brought on by orthodontic treatment usually self-resolve within a few months, so speech therapy is not needed.
If you struggled with speech impairment prior to your orthodontic treatment, however, you don’t have to wait until after your treatment is complete to start therapy. You can begin working on correcting your lisp or other speech impediment (like stuttering) at any time.
Can orthodontic treatment correct a lisp?
Yes! In some cases, orthodontic treatment can actually correct speech impairments like a lisp. This is because some speech issues are caused by tooth misalignment or jaw alignment problems. For example, overbites and underbites can severely impact your ability to speak clearly.
Similarly, crooked teeth can lead to unfortunate gaps that affect speech. Air escapes where it shouldn’t, causing mispronunciations. Furthermore, tooth misalignment can crowd the tongue and produce slurring or stuttering.
Orthodontic treatment, like braces, moves your teeth into the proper positions, resolving gaps, bite issues, and overcrowding. Your tongue has an easier time finding the correct placement, resulting in clearer speech.
Tips for Adjusting to Braces
Although speech therapy is not required, there are other things you can do to help your tongue adjust and resolve temporary speech issues faster. Try the following tips from our orthodontist in Mississauga to speed up the adjustment process:
- Speech exercises help teach your tongue how to navigate around the braces.
- Try regular conversation. Simply talking will do the trick! The more you talk, the more your mouth adjusts.
- Reading aloud is another effective way to speed things up.
- Say repeatedly troublesome words out loud. Your tongue will figure it out eventually.
Bristol Dental Clinic: Your Orthodontist in Mississauga
Bristol Dental Clinic offers orthodontic treatments to our patients in Mississauga, including traditional braces and clear aligners. We combine the latest dental technologies with extensive knowledge of orthodontic dentistry to provide the highest standards of treatment and care.
To book an appointment at our dental office in Mississauga, call Bristol Dental Clinic at 866-673-2109 or contact us here.
