Invisalign - speech question

[sunseeker19]

I'm considering Invisalign for my bottom row teeth only, but I'm worried it may affect my speech - I have to be able to speak completely clearly in my job. If you've had Invisalign on the bottom row, or know someone who has, did it affect your/their speech?

I’ve had clear retainers which is basically the same thing and it didn’t affect speech.

My friend has them top and bottom and I never even knew she was wearing them, either visually or aurally! Thinking of getting them for myself! :)

Its been 12 weeks since I got invisilign. At first I had a heavy lisp...Very noticeable kind of lisp lol. Its better now but I still got the lisp but it hasn't stopped me from communicating clearly at my job although I do find myself speaking a bit slower so that I'm more understood.

Sounds like a mixed bag, it's so difficult to make a decision! Any other experiences....?

I have Invisalign at the moment, top and bottom. The only issue I have is with F sounds, as the upper aligner doesn't allow air to pass through. However, I don't think this would be an issue if you had an aligner only on the lower arch.

I had aligners top and bottom and I did have a slight lisp for a couple of days but after that , speech was fine and it was 6 months before my colleagues knew I had been wearing them-not one had notices anything at all (and they are brutally honest so I believe them)

And it is the best money I have ever spent, I wish I had done it years ago

I have top and bottom, it feels very weird if I take one of them out, I think most dentists would do both arches. They widen your arch, not just straighten your teeth. I sound a bit lispy sometimes but it's not too bad. it's worth it to me for the straight teeth.

Thanks everyone! Another question please: how long did your treatment take in total, or have you been advised it will take if you're still in the middle of it?

I had a cross bite and I was told 14 weeks. I'm on 12 now and I think ill need more than 14 weeks. Bear in mind that the time frame they give you is just an estimate as the pace one's teeth moves varies.

After your initial treatment you go on to something called "refinements". Not everyone needs to but this is if there are any minor correction/imperfection that the original treatment didn't fix and you end up getting more trays.

After which you have to wear your aligner for a minimum of 6 months, after which you can move to just nightly use for the rest of your life :)

So as to answer your question? Only an orthodontist can give you a prediction on the length of time.

My teeth were crowded and I was given 25 aligners. Then refinements - a new scan and 9 more aligners. Now have 3 more but only on the bottom. Hoping that's the end of them!

I has a lisp for a day or two at the start, and sometimes briefly when I changed aligners but as PP said, it mostly affected the top. Having just lower aligners is no problem at all.

My son has invisalign, no lisp but were told that some people do have a lisp for short duration until they get used to them.
I note you mention you may only get aligners on the bottom row only. While this will be a fraction of the cost of 2 sets, you may find you are advised to go for the full set or that you are made fully aware of the risk associated with only having one set.
Invisalign causes the teeth to physically move. If you do this on one set only, it may then not sit correctly with your other set, ie. you may affect your bite and create a host of issues that you don't have now, which if you then decide to correct will add to expense and again would be best to have 2 sets and not just another one set!
Appreciate Invisalign is expensive, but it is worth it if perfection is what you are after. My sons teeth are now perfect.
I just advise you get 2 opinions if you go for one set only and are really made aware of the risk.

Sorry to hijack your post op, but for those with Invisalign at the moment, do you have to pay extra for the refinements at the end? I’m just about the embark on getting Invisalign (have had my moulds done and my X-ray and now just waiting for the digital images to come back), my orthodontist hasn’t mentioned refinements at all to me, so I’m just wondering if it’ll be included in the price he’s quoted me or not. Obviously I will ask, but just wanted to get an idea before to make sure I’m not getting charged extra for something that should be included.

Maybe/some people, a slight lisp for day 1 and 2, but people very quickly get used to the feeling.

@JLbaby No extra charge for refinements, just a single fee that I was told about before the Clincheck (the scan where they decide how many sets of aligners you'll need). I thought that the first set of 25 would be all I needed and was surprised when he told me I'd need another scan and more aligners.

Other places might be different though so definitely ask. I got another quote, which was a price for up to 20 aligners, and a price for more than 20. Glad now that I went for the all-in price!

Excellent thanks!

I've had top and bottom sets and initially it did feel weird when speaking but not sure anyone noticed. The worse thing for me was for a couple of weeks it really affected the production of saliva. My mouth was so dry that my tongue couldn't move about properly. The amount of water I drank was insane! That was on top of how sore it was - I had attachments that rubbed the inside of my mouth. It all passes though.

If you hear yourself lisping your can adjust your speech. It’s not an issue honestly. If you have an important meeting and are worried you can just take them out for a short while

I found I lisped a bit when my mouth was dry so make sure you have a bottle of water with you all the time. I thought it was very noticeable but no-one else did.

My teeth took about 7 months to straighten out although I'm still wearing my retainer during the day so I'm not completely done yet.

I only wanted the bottom done but dentist advised against that because your bite changes as your bottom teeth move and you run the risk of your teeth not working together any more. And wearing just one feels weird.

I would definitely recommend Invisalign.

I couldn't say 's' at all, and it lasted 13 months. Totally worth it though. Can take them out if something really important anyway, that's the beauty of them.

I'm on set 17 of 17. Occasionally I think I sound different , but no one else has noticed including DH and DS. I was told it would be June before I was finished and I have week or so to gobbefoe my next X rays.
I had both sets, cos although my lower teeth were crowded and moving, the upper incisors wer also out of line.
There are hidden bonuses- I no longer graze between meals and have lost some weight!

This is all really useful, lots of very good advice. I've taken the plunge and arranged an appointment for Tuesday to get a quote so I can think about it properly. Thanks everyone!