Speaking with New Dentures: How to Fix a Lisp, Clicking & Speech Issues

Why Do New Dentures Affect Your Speech?

Getting new dentures is an exciting step toward restoring your chewing ability and smile. However, the first time you try to speak on the phone or have a conversation, you might notice unexpected changes: a slight lisp, clacking teeth, or excess saliva.

This is a natural part of the adaptation process.

Speech is a fine muscular coordination between your tongue, lips, teeth, and palate. When you introduce a new acrylic plate into your mouth:

1. Tongue Space Changes: The acrylic base covers parts of the hard palate or lower ridge, slightly changing where the tip of your tongue touches when making sounds like "S", "F", "V", and "Th".
2. Excess Saliva: Your salivary glands treat the new plate like food initially, producing extra saliva that makes speech sound slurry.
3. Muscle Learning Curve: Your cheek and tongue muscles need a few days to master keeping the plate seated while speaking quickly.

Here are three practical exercises to retrain your speech quickly.

3 Daily Exercises to Restore Clear Speech

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 DAILY DENTURE SPEECH DRILLS                 │
├──────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. Read Aloud 15 Mins/Day    │ Practice "S", "F", & "Th"    │
│ 2. The Bite-and-Swallow Reset│ Swallows excess saliva &     │
│                              │ reseats plates before talking│
│ 3. Tongue Placement Drill    │ Repeat "Mississippi",        │
│                              │ "Sixty-Six", & "Fifty-Five"  │
└──────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────┘

1. The Daily Aloud Reading Drill (15 Minutes)

Pick up a book, newspaper, or magazine and read aloud slowly in a private room.

• Pay special attention to tricky consonant sounds: "S", "Z", "F", "V", and "Sh".
• If you stumble on a word, pause, slow down your cadence, pronounce each syllable clearly, and repeat it three times.

2. The "Bite-and-Swallow" Reset

If you feel your mouth filling with saliva or sense your lower plate lifting during conversation:

• Gently bite down on your back teeth and swallow before speaking.
• This clears pooled saliva and immediately resets the suction seal on your upper palate.

3. Target Words for Tongue Placement

Practice repeating words that force your tongue to touch different acoustic reference points:

• For "S" and "Z" sounds: Say "Mississippi," "Sixty-six," "Scissors," and "Zebra."
• For "F" and "V" sounds: Say "Five," "Fifty-five," "Victory," and "Favourite." These sounds require your lower lip to touch the incisal edge of your upper teeth.

How to Stop Dentures from Clicking When You Talk

If your upper and lower teeth make an audible clicking sound when you speak, it usually happens because:

1. You Are Speaking Too Fast or Opening Too Wide: Opening your mouth wide causes the teeth to collide. Speaking at a slightly measured pace and lower volume keeps your jaw movements controlled.
2. Vertical Bite Height (Tooth Length): If clicking persists after three weeks of wear, the teeth may be slightly too long, or the bite height needs a minor adjustment. Our prosthetists can balance this in our on-site laboratory in minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for speech to return to normal with new dentures?

Most patients notice a significant improvement within 7 to 10 days. With 10 to 15 minutes of daily reading practice, your speech will feel completely natural and effortless within 2 to 3 weeks.

Why do my "S" sounds sound like a whistle or lisp?

A whistling "S" occurs when air escapes through a narrow gap between your tongue and the acrylic palate. If the lisp does not resolve with practice, your prosthetist can slightly thin or contour the palatal acrylic behind your front teeth.

Can I speak normally on the phone right away?

Yes, but speaking on the phone can make you feel more self-conscious because there are no visual cues. Practice reading aloud while listening to your own voice in the mirror before making important phone calls.

What should I do if my denture clicks every time I laugh?

Clicking during laughter usually means the lower plate has lifted from a sudden muscle contraction. Practicing muscle control and checking the lingual flange border in our clinic will stop the lifting.

Need a Speech or Bite Adjustment in Oak Park?

If speech difficulties or clicking persist, visit Oak Park Dental & Denture Clinic. A quick, gentle adjustment to your acrylic palate or tooth height makes all the difference.