You may feel like you sound louder than usual when you start speaking with dentures. This is because dentures alter the anatomy of your mouth, and therefore, the way sound travels from it. Don't worry—it's more noticeable to you than to others, and you will sound more natural over time.
Do Dentures Affect Speech? In the beginning, wearing dentures may make you feel uncomfortable and awkward, especially when speaking in front of others. Some words may become difficult to pronounce or you may have problems with “s” or “f” sounds. Dentures can also cause clicking sounds or start shifting when you speak.
As well, dentures can be made too big for your mouth. This changes the size of your mouth and the way sound travels through it, possibly making speech very difficult. Sometimes dentures click during speech because they slip out while the person is talking.
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.
To help correct a dentalized lisp, focus on making the tongue only lightly touch behind the front teeth, instead of pushing hard against them. One simple strategy you can practice is called the exploding /t/ technique. To begin, say the /t/ sound four times consecutively, and then hold the sound on the last one.
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.
In the First 30 Days
It takes time for your gums, cheeks, and tongue to adjust to wearing an oral appliance. However, after a couple of weeks have passed, you'll notice fewer sore spots in your mouth and less saliva. Don't hesitate to call our office if you need your dentures adjusted.
Learning to eat with new dentures requires time and patience. Before placing food in the mouth, bring the teeth together and swallow. This will help to seat the denture fully. Then place small bites of food in the mouth and chew it slowly on the side that seems the most natural and comfortable.
Unless you tell your date you're wearing dentures, they are unlikely to notice. Deciding to share this with them is a completely personal choice and something you may not want to divulge straight away – and that's perfectly fine.
Crooked Teeth Affect Speech
When the teeth don't align properly, you have a higher tendency to develop speech problems. Crooked, overlapping, and twisted teeth change the placement of your tongue and may allow excess air to pass between your teeth, creating a whistle when you speak.
Whether a partial or denture, it can take time to adjust to kissing because your new teeth won't have any nerve endings. A simple kiss can lead to dental pain or injury by bumping your teeth on your partner's. It will take a little practice, but in no time at all, you'll have the romance back in your life.
If you want to know if your dentures will feel normal, the answer is yes. You may have recently gotten the teeth, or perhaps you are considering getting them. You might want to know what to expect. The good news is that today's prosthetics feel more natural than ever, and you can get accustomed to them quickly.
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 is possible to harm your oral health if you leave your dentures in for a long time. Plaque is more likely to accumulate on dentures and tongues of people who wear dentures all night long. You are more prone to gum disease, oral thrush, and bone loss if you wear your dentures for a long period without removing them.
The only way a denture wearer can prevent facial collapse is to support the dentures with dental implants. Two to eight dental implants can be surgically implanted in the jawbone, and dentures are secured to them.
If you need to bite down on hard food, such as an apple, use your canines instead of your front teeth. Otherwise, you can cause your dentures to slip and slide around, hurting your gums. Make sure you distribute your food evenly on both sides in the back of your mouth when you chew.
New dentures can take around two to four weeks to settle properly. It's not unusual to experience some tenderness or discomfort at first.
Are dentures better than real teeth? There is nothing better than real, natural teeth – including dentures. When fitted properly, dentures can be a cost-effective tooth replacement, but they are not a one-time permanent solution.
Improper denture wearing also increases swallowing difficulties by causing changes in tongue movements. If a denture does not fit properly due to weight loss or an ineffective denture adhesive, it can cause jaw instability and extraneous tongue movement to keep the denture in place.
Biting down on chewy steak with dentures can destabilize them or cause sore spots. You don't have to avoid steak entirely – just cut it up into small pieces.
Dentalized lisp or dentalized production – This type of lisp occurs when the tongue pushes against the front teeth. This results in a muffled s or z sound.