If you're thinking about Invisalign for your orthodontic treatment, you might be wondering if the aligners will affect your ability to speak clearly. Here, our Surrey dentists offer their top tips for adjusting to speaking while wearing your Invisalign aligners.
Most dental or orthodontic appliances have the potential to affect your speech, especially if they add any extra thickness to the roof of your mouth, or to the back of your front teeth. This includes Invisalign aligners.
Is Invisalign likely to cause speech impediments?
No, not very like at all. Invisalign aligners are made of thin, light weight plastic, making any impact on your speech minor.
When you first have your Invisalign aligners placed, you might notice a slight lisp to your speech. The lisp will likely be most obvious when you make “s” or “sh” sounds.
This lisp will likely only be noticeable to you.
Overall, you'll probably have nothing to worry about. Studies have shown that 93% of Invisalign patients reported no difficulties with speech while wearing their aligners.
Here are some tips to reduce a speech impediment while wearing Invisalign:
If you notice that your Invisalign aligners are causing you to speak with a slight lisp or speech impediment, remember: practice makes perfect.
Practice the pronunciation and enunciation of the words that you're struggling with. Try reading out loud to yourself (or to others), or having conversations with friends or family members that you trust. Get comfortable with your new dental appliance.