Block Braces & Speech/Singing Please Help

[SatsumaZoom]

My 11 year old has been told today she needs block braces. The dentist unhelpfully told her she would lose the ability to sing or talk and would need to relearn. She's distraught as singing and acting are her life, her source of joy and now she's in peices.

Can anyone offer any reassurance that it won't be as bad as he says? I think it's bad enough knowing they'll look awful and feel terrible but to add to that being unable to sing or act I just feel is too much.

Does anyone have a singing child who has worn block braces that could offer first hand support/encouragement/experiences?

I am just as upset as her and feel like a terrible parent for not knowing how to support her. The thought of her confidence being knocked like this is really getting to me

If it’s a twin block brace, I think it probably depends on the child. Mine was fine with theirs (and they were allowed to remove it for music and singing lessons anyway). Speech normal pretty much straight away. You couldn’t tell they’d got it in (although did get accused of chewing gum a couple of times at school because the white blocks did look like that!). However, someone else I know struggles to speak normally (with exactly the same orthodontist and appliance my child had) I think it also probably depends on the type of appliance. I think there’s a difference between private and NHS.

Really I’m sure it’s fine to take them out for singing. Of course you should wear them all the time, but it’s ok to have them out now and then as long as they go straight back in after. Wearing them for eating is the most important because you’re really using those mouth jaw muscles and helping them to readjust.

You have to “relearn” in that it was awkward for the first few days but I don’t remember my son having any issues after the initial getting used to it. It seems v hard and intrusive at first but really he got used to it very very quickly. And it worked so well. He had them less than a year, 7-9 months maybe? Obv this will depend on individuals.

Thank you for the reassurance. Oddly the orthodontist said to take it out for eating but I will query that when we get to the fitting stage...

I guess that there is an element of pot luck then. What do you think the difference is between private and NHS @Another76543

We were told to remove it for eating as well. We were also told they could remove it for singing, but they actually managed to sing with it in fine.

I think the type of appliance might vary between orthontists and areas. Ours was a transparent appliance which fitted over all the teeth (a bit like Invisalign with moulded blocks on the sides), whereas the NHS versions I’ve seen involved wire. Ours had no wire whatsoever. Perhaps it’s different between areas. At the end of the day though, they achieve the same result. It might just make a difference in comfort of wearing. As I said though, I know someone else with the transparent version who struggles to speak with it in.

@Another76543 thank you that's helpful