Talking With Braces: Do You Get a Lisp When You Get Braces?

Many orthodontic patients are concerned and bothered with the possibility of talking funny with braces on, as if a lisp is present. The concern can become so bothersome and embarrassing to many that they are afraid to speak at all, even amongst their friends. Your Las Vegas orthodontist specialists at Floss Dental & Orthodontics respond to negative information surrounding the Internet on this pressing topic.

Yes, There Will Be Pain

Unfortunately, pain is something that is natural for all wearers of braces. It cannot be dodged, only masked by over the counter medication such as ibuprofen or Advil. The thing is, when we first receive a set of braces, our mouth doesn’t know exactly how to react to this new phenomenon – so it compensates by responding in the form of soreness or pain as your braces work towards bringing your teeth closer together. Once you become used to this, you will begin to feel more comfortable speaking, eating, etc.

So Will My Speech Be Affected by Braces?

Yes, it probably will – for a short amount of time. As your mouth adjusts to the orthodontic appliances, you will become more and more comfortable opening up again. Some people have sore lips and so any amount of talking results in an annoying pain that would rather be avoided. Once the pain has subsided, then the talking begins.

It Could Be Your Tongue…

Your body is great at preventing you from discovering pain. It’s instinctual. For many people, braces cause their speech to change simply because they are afraid to move their tongue around when pronouncing certain syllables or words – in turn causing them to speak abnormally. Once you realize that your tongue will not get thrashed from talking, and then you will begin speaking normally again.

It’s All Temporary.

To reiterate, any lisps or abnormal talking patterns inherited from receiving braces is all temporary. It’s short-lived and some people are not even bothered by new braces at all. It depends on how comfortable you feel with your braces, something that is more easily achieved when you receive a set that is custom-tailored to your mouth. Different braces options may affect speech differently as well. The choice is yours. Ask us about the braces we offer.

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