Your custom Invisalign® aligners have been designed to give them a snug, low profile fit that's unlikely to cause any issues with your speech. Nonetheless, if you do notice a slight lisp due to your aligners, our Straight Smile Dentists can help you to correct the issue with these easy strategies.
Orthodontic Treatment Options & Speech
Any orthodontic treatment or dental appliance that comes in contact with your tongue has the potential to cause a slight lisp or speech impediment. That said, Invisalign's thin, sleek design and snug fit, may help to prevent speech issues from occurring.
If you experience a slight lisp due to your aligners, rest assured that the issue will very likely clear up quickly, as you become more accustomed to wearing your clear aligners.
It's also important to note that in most cases, any slight lisp you may notice is probably only obvious to you, and will likely be temporary.
Allowing Time To Adjust To Treatment
When you first begin your orthodontic treatment, whether with Invisalign or braces your mouth and tongue will need to adjust to making sounds and forming words with your orthodontic appliance in place. This period of adjustment shouldn't last very long.
After a few days of wearing your aligners your mouth will begin to get used to them and any speech impediments you've experienced due to your aligners should start to disappear.
Correctly Fitted Aligners Are Key
In some cases, speech impediments can happen as a result of aligners that are not fitted properly. If you have given yourself a few days to adjust to your aligners, but your speech isn't back to normal, contact your dentist to ensure your aligners are fitted correctly. Your dentist wants your Invisalign treatment to be as comfortable, convenient, and hassle-free as possible, so let them know if there is an issue that needs to be resolved.
What To Do About a Persistent Lisp
If your adjustment period has passed, and you've had the fit of your aligners checked, but you're still experiencing a lisp, the next step is to practice practice practice!
Chat with your family, friends and pets, read books out loud to children - just keep talking! The more you talk the more quickly your mouth will become accustomed to speaking while wearing your aligners.
There's likely to be specific words that you find more difficult to pronounce. Repeat those words out loud while wearing your aligners until it begins to feel completely natural. The more you practice the easier it should get, and soon your lisp should disappear.