How Can I Fix Speech Issue After Getting Lumineers?

I had Lumineers placed a little over a week ago. They’re a bit bigger than my regular teeth were, but my dentist warned me about that ahead of time and it doesn’t bother me. What I didn’t expect, though, was that my speech would change. I have a lot of trouble, especially with the letter “s.” Please tell me this can be fixed. I wouldn’t have gotten them done if I knew I wouldn’t be able to talk afterwards. If they can be repaired, how do I go about finding a dentist who will do it?

Thanks,

Joan

Dear Joan,

There’s nothing worse than investing in your smile and then finding out after the fact that it’s still not quite what you need. Although irritating, speech problems are usually a temporary side-effect of cosmetic procedures like Lumineers. It’s said that this occurs roughly as much as 25% of the time when someone has work done of the front teeth. The most troublesome letters are “s” and “f,” which is a result of how the tongue catches the bottom of the anterior teeth as you pronounce them. So, any time you have a procedure that alters the length or shape of those 2-4 teeth, like Lumineers, veneers, bonding, or contouring, your tongue tries to move in the manner it’s accustomed to. However, now that the teeth are shaped differently, it doesn’t produce the same sound.

The good news is that in most cases, people adapt to the changes and speech improves in a matter of weeks or months. Those with Lumineers may experience this a bit more often, because the restorations designed to wrap around the tooth and very little, if any, natural tooth is removed. Other types of veneers remove more tooth structure, so they tend to feel less bulky for patients.

You may not need an adjustment if you’re willing to keep practicing and see how it goes. If it’s especially bothersome or you hear no improvement over time, your dentist might be able to smooth them down a little to speed how quickly you adapt. Let him know what’s happening and see what he advises.

This blog is sponsored by Elgin dentist, Dr. Sirin.