lingual braces and speech

[applecidar]

Hi everyone,

I have been wanting to correct my buck teeth for the longest time. The only thing holding me back is how braces will affect my speech needed for work. I'll be working as professional where my speech is really everything (think lawyer/consultant) and I would have to face clients everyday. Ceramic or regular braces are out because I need to look professional and cant look too young, while invisalign can't correct my problem. lingual seems to be my best option (did I miss anything)

Is there anyone who can attest to whether how much lingual braces affect their speech and their career. The good thing is that I have 2 months to get use to the braces before I start work, but I am really worried that my speech will still be problematic once i start work.

any advice is greatly appreciated!

[coconut]

You have two months to get used to the braces before starting work?? I had 12 hours!

I had lingual uppers (ceramic lowers). First two weeks were a challenge for me, mainly because my tongue got chewed up by the braces. Then things settled down. The only thing you will have to work at is pronouncing the "s" sound, but quite honestly, no-one will notice any changest to your speech other than perhaps yourself. I can't see that it will have any impact on your career.

I am also a consultant, btw.

[maxhammer]

It depends on arch size and how much hardware they put in there to close the gaps. For me, my speech was never right, so I switched to frontal braces after 8 months.

[applecidar]

thanks to both for your replies!

Great to hear real life experiences instead of promotion material I found on orthodontists' websites.

Coconut- I assume that lingual has no adverse impact at all for you? Completely no lisp? that's awesome

Maxhammer- interesting point you made about arch size. Did the ortho tell you that your problem with sppech stems from your arch size? Also, was your additional problem with speech known before you put on the braces? was yours the incognito system which is supposed to be an improvement from previous forms of linguals?

Cheers!

[coconut]

Coconut- I assume that lingual has no adverse impact at all for you? Completely no lisp? that's awesome

I had a slight lisp, but I suspect it was more noticeable to me than to anyone else. It got worse when I was dehydrated, so I tried to drink lots of water.

[maxhammer]

thanks to both for your replies!

Great to hear real life experiences instead of promotion material I found on orthodontists' websites.

Coconut- I assume that lingual has no adverse impact at all for you? Completely no lisp? that's awesome

Maxhammer- interesting point you made about arch size. Did the ortho tell you that your problem with sppech stems from your arch size? Also, was your additional problem with speech known before you put on the braces? was yours the incognito system which is supposed to be an improvement from previous forms of linguals?

Cheers!

I was speaking pretty well until he put in this metal wire to connect the power chains/close the gaps. My tongue kept hitting it and I'd lisp. Then once the caps closed, the arch became smaller and it just felt too cluttered in there. It is much better now after switching to outer braces.

I never had any speech problem beforehand, and I don't have one now after changing out of linguals. I was in linguals for 8 months. You could maybe do some of your treatment in them, and then change out later on. My ortho did the change for free since it was less work for him.