All new denture wearers face a period of adjusting to new dentures, and for many, speaking poses one of the most significant challenges. Fortunately, dentists can offer patients various tips to promote effortless speech.
Dentures tend to sit differently in the mouth compared with natural teeth. As a result, the tongue falls into new positions that lead to difficulties producing certain sounds and words. In addition, muscles in the face and jaw may move in new ways around prosthetics. These factors can lead to temporary speech changes.
Fortunately, most dental patients adjust naturally to speaking with dentures and re-master pre-denture speech quickly. Dentists can also offer various suggestions to facilitate the process.
Saying numbers and letters aloud is an excellent way to practice shorter sounds and syllables that ultimately combine to create longer phrases. In addition, this exercise can serve as a starting point for improving speaking stamina.
Patients who read books and newspapers aloud while adjusting to new dentures learn to position the tongue and mouth in ways necessary to produce complex sounds in succession. As with any exercise, the mouth and jaw muscles gradually strengthen, and speech becomes more fluid. Choosing text with challenging words, including tongue twisters or technical terms, is particularly beneficial.
Singing allows new denture-wearers to produce words and sounds at a slower pace than speaking. As a result, individuals can more easily focus on where to position the tongue and activate muscles. In addition, singing allows denture wearers to sustain sounds while listening to determine which corrections lead to improved speech pronunciation.
Speaking or singing in front of a mirror is an excellent way to help denture wearers see precisely how mouth and tongue movements affect speech. It can also reveal areas of facial tension that may signify that muscles are weak or overworking.
Many people experience facial soreness when speaking while adjusting to new dentures because dental prosthetics use previously underused muscles. Therefore, dentists recommend that patients begin facial exercises several weeks before getting new dentures to build facial muscle strength. For example, holding an exaggerated smile for several seconds can help strengthen the muscles necessary for fluid speech while wearing dentures.
Denture wearers can use speech recognition software programs to help detect incorrect diction and pronunciation. In addition, reading a text and reviewing its transcription can help measure progress by producing a record that reveals where improvement exists or is needed.
Dentists encourage new denture wearers to engage in conversations with close friends and relatives as much as possible during the adjustment period. In addition to promoting confidence from speaking at a conversational pace, patients with new dentures can count on receiving helpful feedback from those close to them.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Adjusting to New Dentures in Los Angeles, CA
Dentists can recommend various tips and techniques to help patients speak confidently while adjusting to new dentures. As a result, most people adapt quickly and experience noticeable improvement.
Request an appointment or call Allure Dentistry at 310-683-5321 for an appointment in our Los Angeles office.
Dentures are a popular solution for individuals who are missing any number of natural teeth. These prosthetic teeth can dramatically improve oral function and appearance, though first-time wearers report various challenges adjusting to new dentures that dentists can address.Most new denture wearers require about one month to adjust to the sensations accompanying a foreign substance…
When adjusting to new dentures, a patient will likely have a long list of questions. Can dentures be slept in? How does wearing dentures change a person's oral hygiene routine? Here you will find the answers to these and more information about a nightly care routine for those who are adjusting to new dentures.When adjusting…
When you begin wearing dentures, you may experience discomfort for a short period of time while you are adjusting to new dentures. However, this process does not have to be difficult.Here are three reasons you can easily get through the first few weeks of wearing dentures.If you find adjusting to new dentures difficult, remember that…
Many people may believe that they do not have time for routine dental care, which consists of daily brushing and flossing as well as periodic cleaning by a dentist. Admittedly, these tasks do take some time but should be a priority even in a busy schedule. People who do not take time for brushing, flossing,…
Routine dental care is one of the most important factors contributing to good dental health. While going to the dentist twice a year is the standard rule of thumb, the frequency of the visits ultimately depends on the patient's needs and the recommendation of the dentist. Learn how often routine care should be scheduled and…