It is common for new denture wearers to lisp when speaking. For patients to regain their normal speech, they need time to train the muscles in their mouth. It is recommended that patients practice by speaking aloud, like the words they find hard to pronounce. The more they practice, the faster they can speak normally.
Why Do I Have a Lisp with Dentures? Lisps can develop with dentures because when we talk through our mouths, we use our lips and tongues. With dentures, however, we lose access to these parts of speech. This leads us to use other areas of our bodies to form certain sounds.
It's a legitimate concern and there is definitely an adjustment period where talking, chewing and normal activities will feel different. Once you've learned to adjust, you should be able to communicate normally. It usually takes about 2 weeks for your tongue to get use to the new environment.
Adjusting to dentures means that, in time and with some practice, you will be able to speak clearly. At first your voice may sound odd because the sound reaches your ears through vibrations in the bones of the jaw and skull. Wearing dentures changes and increases the sound, but only you will notice this.
Generally you should wear your dentures for at least 8 hours a day. This will give your gums and jawbone time to get used to the dentures and prevent sore spots from developing. It is best to take them out at night so that your gums can rest. You should also remove them for eating, drinking, brushing and flossing.
As a general rule of thumb, dental professionals are likely to tell you that adjusting to new dentures takes about 30 days, on average. You might not be keen to wait this long, but you need to be careful how quickly you try to get back to normal.
Dentures change the anatomy of your mouth which can increase or alter the sound of your voice. Try not to worry, this difference is much more noticeable to you than to anyone listening to you speak. If you happen to notice clicking sounds when you talk, speak a little more slowly.
First things first, call your dentist. They should be able to get you in for an appointment right away. After the dentist examines your mouth, they can determine which option is best for you. It may be as simple as repairing or replacing your dentures.
Ideally, your dentures should support your lips and cheeks, but if they are too large, they can actually push your dentures outward, resulting in puffy lips and cheeks. The correct fitting of dentures can usually prevent this, but the denture flanges that go around the gums can cause puffiness for some people.
Lisps (L, S, H, Th, G, R, RR, F, W, Ch words and sounds) can easily be treated by a Dentist with laser surgery, which would take less than 10 to 15 minutes to complete, aka: Frenelectomy and /or Frenectomy. Healing time normally takes a few minutes or a few hours.
Your speech may be slurred and you may not be able to enunciate your words as well as you could before. This is normal and will improve with practice. In the meantime, try speaking slowly and clearly. Over time, you'll get used to your new dentures and will be able to speak normally.
Chew Evenly
Most people tend to chew on one side of their mouth more than the other, but for denture wearers, this could make the prosthetic more likely to slip out of place. Once you start eating solid foods again, chew slowly, and make sure to use both sides of your mouth equally.
The spaces surrounding dentures are prime places for food to get stuck. Dentures can also slip out of place uncomfortably when you bite into hard foods.
It's normal to develop sore spots during the first few days of wearing dentures. You may also have more saliva. Gum tissue contracts as it heals. For this reason, you may need to visit our office several times so your dentures fit comfortably.
Prevent bacterial growth – Since bacteria accumulate on your dentures, leaving them in causes bad breath and gum disease. Also, taking your dentures out each night allows your soft tissues to breathe and gives them a “bacteria-free break,” which will keep them significantly healthier.
All Polident variants are safe for the overnight soaking of dentures.
Full dentures are a good option for patients who have no remaining teeth, or whose damaged teeth are beyond repair or salvaging. Meanwhile, a partial appliance makes sense when the person still has some natural teeth remaining.
By listening closely to the person, you may detect a lisp. This happens because the tongue and the mouth are not used to having dental plates. However, as time passes, the lisp will eventually disappear, and it will be impossible to know if the person is wearing a denture by observing the person's speech.
Proper denture fit is the key to protecting your appearance. If your dentures are too big or short, your face might look puffy. Dentures that don't fit properly can affect the alignment of your chin and make your face look lopsided.
Lisp speech therapy (also known as articulation therapy) is the best way to correct a lisp. S sound speech therapy can help both children and adults who have a lisp. Individuals who try to fix a lisp on their own are rarely successful.