Speaking is such a regular part of our lives that we can take for granted what a complex process it actually is. Even just a simple “hello” relies on four different bodily systems (respiratory, laryngeal, articulatory).[ 1 ] There’s airflow to consider, tongue acrobatics, even the top of your skull comes into play when speaking. With so many elements at play, it’s no wonder speech disorders occur fairly often in people.
In this guide, we will examine some key causes of speech disorders and explore whether or not braces will be able to help correct them.
Table of Contents
Can Braces Help Correct a Speech Disorder?
Braces can correct some causes of speech disorders,[ 2 ] so it’s all about determining what is at the root of your particular struggles. The speech disorders braces are able to correct have to do with the placement of your teeth — in particular, your bite.
It isn’t always obvious to the person with the bite issue that their misalignment is contributing to their speech disorder, so be sure to check in with your dentist or orthodontist and get their input.
How to Know if a Speech Disorder Is Caused by Dental Issues
Since so many parts of your body and mind go into speaking, there are plenty of professionals that have the potential to identify the cause of your speech disorder. This could be a dentist or an orthodontist if your speech disorder is caused by dental issues; this could also be a speech-language pathologist or a general doctor. Often, patients will see more than one professional to get a clear picture of their situation.
Which Speech Disorders Can Braces Help Correct?
Braces aren’t just sought after for aesthetic reasons. The way our teeth sit in our mouths can have enormous effects on our health and our speech.[ 3 ] Teeth placement can impact airflow and your tongue’s ability to move the way it needs to for correct pronunciation — which can lead to speech disorders. Braces can help treat speech disorders that are due to malocclusions.
Malocclusion is a term that covers a wide range of dental misalignments.[ 3 ] Every speech disorder braces may be able to treat is related to a malocclusion in some form or another. Here, we will take a closer look at different types of malocclusions and how they have the potential to affect your speech.
Underbite
An underbite is when your upper row of teeth sits behind your lower row of teeth. An underbite can take away valuable real estate in your mouth, leaving your tongue with much less room to complete all of the precise movements it needs in order to pronounce things correctly.
When the tongue doesn’t have the space it needs, this can cause lisping or slurred speech. Braces can realign an underbite, and with the proper amount of space for your tongue to move, it’s likely that problem will be corrected.[ 4 ]
Crossbite
Crossbite is similar to underbite, only with crossbite, it’s just a few of your upper teeth that sit behind your lower row of teeth (as opposed to the whole upper row). This can cause similar problems as an underbite, taking away space that the tongue needs for producing speech correctly. This can cause lisping or slurred speech.
Braces and appliances like palate expanders can correct crossbite by moving your teeth into proper alignment and giving your tongue the space it needs to make all the complex movements required by speech.[ 4 ]
Overbite
A jaw that is properly aligned has the top row of teeth sitting neatly over the bottom row, forming a tight seal. An overbite, however, is like an exaggerated version of that, leaving too much space between the top and bottom front teeth.
Without the tight seal from proper alignment, an overbite can lead to an excess of air in your mouth, which can cause speech disorders like lisping or even involuntary whistling. Braces and rubber elastics can properly align your bite, eliminating all the excess space.4
Overjet
Overjet is similar to overbite, but instead of the whole top row of teeth protruding too far out, overjet is when just two teeth protrude at a slight outward angle.
Similar to overbite, overjet can create an opportunity for excess air to be in your mouth: a ripe environment for lisping and accidental whistling sounds.[ 4 ] Braces can bring your teeth into proper alignment, creating the tight seal that is needed to better regulate airflow. This will likely correct any lisping or whistling that was caused by the overjet.
Open Bite
Open bite is when your top and bottom teeth do not meet when you bite down.[ 4 ] An open bite can affect the way people make certain sounds, particularly the letters “s” and “t.” An open bite can also create a lisp.
Open bite can vary in its severity, but braces are the orthodontic method best suited to realigning an open bite — even in its most severe form.[ 4 ] If an open bite stems from a habit like thumb sucking or a tongue thrust, braces and a tongue crib can help stop this habit to improve speech.
Which Speech Disorders Can Braces Not Help Correct?
Though a powerful orthodontic tool, there are limits to which speech disorders braces are able to help correct. Braces are limited to addressing impairments that come from dental issues; they can’t tackle disorders that have emerged due to injuries, neurological issues, or genetics. Let’s take a closer look at which speech disorders braces aren’t able to help and what treatments may be available instead.
Stuttering
Stuttering is one of the more mysterious speech disorders because its origins can be hard to pin down. Stuttering can be genetic, and other times, it appears to be neurological in origin.[ 5 ] When people who stutter have their brains scanned, their neural pathways light up in similar patterns as when speaking. Stuttering can also be affected by stress and anxiety, but it isn’t considered a purely psychological disorder.
Since stuttering can originate from so many things (and none of those things are rooted in the tooth and jaw) braces won’t be able to help this speech disorder. Likely the best path forward will be therapy with a speech pathologist.[ 5 ]
Dysarthria
Dysarthria is a speech disorder that occurs due to weakness in the facial muscles. This disorder is commonly related to brain damage, which can happen at birth, through injury, or from a stroke or tumor.[ 5 ] Other neurological/muscular disorders like Parkinson’s, MS, or cerebral palsy can cause this speech disorder as well.
Dysarthria should be treated by a doctor or a speech-language pathologist. Since braces work with the teeth and jaw, they won’t be able to address this disorder’s neurological/muscular nature.[ 5 ]
Apraxia of Speech (AOS)
Apraxia of speech (AOS) comes in two different forms — acquired and childhood. Acquired AOS usually occurs in adult life and is typically caused by a brain injury. This injury affects the parts of your brain that control the muscles in your face that help you speak.
The causes of childhood AOS are usually a little harder to directly trace.[ 5 ] Sometimes childhood AOS can be due to genetics; other times, it can occur as a part of a larger disorder like cerebral palsy or epilepsy.
These disorders are not able to be treated with braces, since they are neurological and muscular in nature and don’t have anything to do with your teeth or bite.[ 5 ] Regardless of the kind of AOS you have, you’ll need to see a speech-language pathologist, and potentially a medical doctor as well.
Hearing Loss
If your speech disorder is due to loss of hearing, braces won’t be able to help correct it. However, it’s possible that with a speech-language pathologist, hearing aid, or other approaches to therapy, you will be able to correct a speech disorder brought on by loss of hearing.[ 5 ]
Cleft Lip and Palate
Speech disorders that emerge from a cleft lip or palate can’t be treated with just braces; it’s a more complicated fix that usually requires surgery and therapy with a speech-language pathologist.[ 4 ]
How Long Will It Take for My Speech Disorder to Be Corrected?
The average treatment time for braces is 24 months. This can be longer or shorter depending on your particular situation. Typically, the more severe the malocclusion, the more severe the speech disorder. And the more severe the malocclusion, the longer the treatment time. It may not take the full duration of treatment for you to start noticing results in your speech though.
Talk to your orthodontist to see what treatment will look like for you and what you can expect in terms of your speech disorder being corrected gradually, or if changes in your speech won’t occur until the very end.
Can a Speech Disorder Come Back After Braces?
Maintaining your new smile after braces all comes down to wearing your retainers. After braces treatment, you’ll need to wear an overnight retainer indefinitely so your teeth don’t scoot back into their old positions.
If you get lax with your retainer usage, it’s possible for your teeth to move back towards their old positions, causing your speech disorder to emerge again. Build a good retainer-wearing habit to make sure this doesn’t occur!
Final Thoughts
Speech is a complicated process that involves many different parts of your body and brain. To determine whether or not braces are able to help you correct your speech disorder, you must first figure out what is causing it.
Braces are able to help correct speech disorders that originate from malocclusions. If a tooth alignment is inhibiting your speech, then braces can provide the conditions your mouth needs to perform the complicated task of speaking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will braces give me a speech disorder?
Braces do come with a little bit of a learning curve, speech-wise. Particularly if you choose to have lingual braces, which are attached to the back of your teeth, there can be an adjustment period that may involve disordered speech.[ 6 ] This will get better over time as you get used to the feeling of braces.
Which will correct my speech disorder faster: braces or Invisalign?
Invisalign’s average treatment times fall between 12-18 months, while braces average around 24 months — so Invisalign typically treats conditions faster than braces can. However, this will all depend on your particular misalignment.
What is the difference between an overbite and an overjet?
An overbite is when the entire upper row of teeth protrudes beyond the lower row.[ 4 ] An overjet is when the top two teeth protrude beyond the lower jaw and stick outward at an angle.
What is the difference between an underbite and a crossbite?
An underbite is when your top row of teeth is behind your bottom row of teeth. A crossbite is when only a few of your upper row of teeth are behind the bottom row of teeth.
Can at-home clear aligners correct my speech disorder?
That depends. At-home clear aligners are able to correct mild-to-moderate cases of malocclusion. So if your speech disorder is from a malocclusion that isn’t very severe, this may be a good option to align your smile and correct your speech disorder.
What other problems can malocclusions cause if left untreated?
Malocclusions can cause all sorts of trouble if left untreated. From bruxism (chronic teeth grinding and clenching) and premature enamel wear to potential gum recession, which could lead to periodontal (gum) disease and/or potential tooth removal.[ 7 ]
How do I know what’s causing my speech disorder?
Talk to your dentist or make an appointment with a speech-language pathologist. They will help you determine what is causing your disordered speech and what steps you can take to treat it.
Do I have to wear a retainer after braces?
Yes! You’ll need to wear an overnight retainer indefinitely after braces treatment (and all kinds of teeth straightening treatment). This will keep your teeth in their new locations, preventing them from moving back to their old positions and bringing back any issues of disordered speech you have before.
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