If you're considering Invisalign for your orthodontic treatment, you might wonder what impact the aligners could have on your ability to speak. Here, our Surrey dentists offer their top tips for adjusting to speaking with your Invisalign aligners in your mouth.
Most dental or orthodontic appliances have the potential to affect the way you speak, particularly those that add any extra thickness to the back of your front teeth or to the roof of your mouth, which is where Invisalign aligners sit.
Is Invisalign likely to cause speech impediments?
It's not very likely that Invisalign aligners will cause speech impediments. The aligners are made from thin plastic, making any impact they may have on your speech relatively minor.
Nonetheless, when you first have your Invisalign brace system placed for treatment, you might notice a slight lisp to your speech when you make “s” or “sh” sounds.
This is will likely only be noticeable to you, and not to anyone else.
You probably don’t need to worry. Studies have indicated that 93% of Invisalign patients reported no difficulties speaking while wearing their aligners.
What are some tips for reducing a speech impediment, if I have one, while wearing Invisalign?
If you happen to notice that your Invisalign aligners cause you to speak with a slight lisp or speech impediment, remember: practice makes perfect!
Practicing the pronunciation and enunciation of the words that you're struggling with is one of the best ways to overcome the problem, and get used to your new dental appliance. Try reading out loud to yourself (or to others), or having conversations with friends or family members that you trust.