Short answer: Clear aligners can slightly affect your speech in the first few days; a lisp may be noticeable especially with sounds such as "s", "sh", "z" and "j". For most people this eases noticeably within a few days to two weeks. As the tongue adapts to the aligner, speech returns to normal.
Why is speech affected?
The aligner covers the inner surfaces of the teeth with a thin layer. When forming certain sounds, the tongue touches specific points behind the teeth and on the palate. Because these contact points shift by a fraction of a millimetre, the tongue needs to get used to the new position. Having something new in the mouth can also increase saliva in the first days, which can affect speech as well.
Which sounds are affected most?
- S, SH, Z, J, CH: Sibilant sounds made with the tongue close to the back of the front teeth
- T, D, N, L: Sounds made with the tip of the tongue touching just behind the teeth
Tips to help you adjust faster
- Read aloud: Reading a book or newspaper aloud for a few minutes each day in the first days helps your tongue adapt faster.
- Repeat the words you find difficult: Slowly repeating words with "s" and "sh" sounds can help.
- Don't keep taking the aligners out: Removing your aligners to talk slows down adjustment; keeping them in makes it easier to get used to them.
- Swallow: Swallowing any built-up saliva before speaking helps your words sound clearer.
Before a presentation, meeting or performance
People who speak a lot for work, give presentations or are involved in music or theatre may plan to start treatment a few weeks before an important date. For planning ahead of a big event, read our page on planning clear aligners before an important date.
When should you talk to your clinician?
Let the clinic know if a noticeable speech difficulty lasts longer than two or three weeks, if the aligner doesn't fit fully or if one area feels bulky. For issues such as aligner edges irritating the tongue, you can find general information on our clear aligner problems and solutions page.
Quick answers
Will the lisp be permanent?
Usually not. The tongue adapts to the aligner within a few days to a few weeks.
Does speech change again with every new aligner?
You may notice a slight change for a few hours when switching to a new aligner; it is not as noticeable as at the very start.
Do clear aligners or braces affect speech more?
Both may need a short adjustment period. The sounds affected differ depending on which surfaces the tongue touches.
How do you find out what suits you?
The information here is general; the right plan for you is decided through an oral examination, a digital scan and a clinical assessment. At our clinic in Oran, Çankaya, Ankara, we go through these topics and your questions during your first orthodontic examination. If you would like to see the treatment steps in advance, take a look at our clear aligner treatment process page.
