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Dentures remain a popular way to replace missing teeth because of their many advantages. For instance, they restore a good portion of your chewing power so that you can eat a variety of wholesome foods to support your oral and overall health. Even better, they enhance your appearance to rebuild your confidence.
These prosthetics also allow you to enunciate more clearly because you must press your tongue against a full set of teeth to form certain sounds and words. However, many patients struggle with a lisp or other changes to their speech patterns with their new teeth in place. Continue reading to learn why this sometimes happens and how to overcome it!
Why Do Dentures Affect Speech?
Many patients are surprised to learn that it can take some time for their gums, tongue, and other supporting muscles in their mouths to adjust to supporting their restoration all day. They likely feel big and bulky in your mouth when they’re new. This can make it hard to keep them in place while eating and speaking because of all the additional movement. They tend to shift slightly until you learn to anchor them while performing other tasks.
How Do Dentures Impact Speech Patterns?
Although it can vary based on your unique circumstances, many patients run into similar issues when learning to talk with these prosthetics in place, such as:
- A lisp. Certain sounds that rely on the precise positioning of your tongue against your teeth, like “s”, “f”, or “v”, often come with a lisp. Other combinations like “th” or “sh” words can be equally as difficult to pronounce.
- Slurred speech. Your mouth may produce extra saliva until it’s used to your dentures, which can cause them to slip around in your mouth, resulting in slurred speech.
- Slight clicking noise. If you notice a clicking sound when you talk, you might be bringing your new teeth together harder than you thought because there are no nerves to detect how much force you’re using.
How Can I Overcome Speech Problems with Dentures?
It can be incredibly frustrating to realize that once basic tasks don’t come as naturally with dentures, but don’t lose hope. Give yourself some grace and try to be understanding as your mouth relearns how to speak with your new teeth.
Thankfully, there are several things you can do to speed up and ease this transitional period. For instance, try reading out loud slowly at home to pinpoint words and sounds that are particularly difficult. Then, practice those repeatedly until you feel more confident in your abilities.
You can also try using a denture cream or other adhesive to strengthen their bond so your restoration is more firmly planted in place and easier to work with.
It can take about a month to fully acclimate to your new smile, but once you do, you’ll be able to communicate as clearly as ever!
About the Practice
At Laketown Family Dental, you benefit from a husband-and-wife dental duo who is dedicated to helping people improve their lives by enhancing their oral health. Drs. Ariel and Eric Heisser share 10+ years of combined experience offering a full array of services and welcome patients of all ages. They combine a gentle and caring approach with state-of-the-art equipment to increase your comfort while delivering personalized treatments for accurate results. If you’re considering dentures, you can request an appointment on the website or call (231) 737-2273.