Why can I not speak properly?

Question

I recently had two bridges and two crowns across the top 8 front teeth. Before this I had deciduous teeth still after 30 years. Since then I have not been able to speak correctly. I cannot pronounce th, v or f at all. I have had them checked by another crown specialist who says he has never heard of this before. This doesn't help me and I daren't even speak to anyone although I practice all the time at home. What can I do? Please help.

Zev Kaufman, DDS · Answer

Dear laneybo:I am so sorry to hear that you are not happy with your new dental work. However you are absolutely correct in your observations.  There are three parameters, which, a dentist checks when fabricating new teeth.  The parameters are: aesthetics, phonetics, and function.  These principles hold true for any dental work, be it a removable denture, crowns on natural teeth, or implant supported restorations. If teeth are correctly positioned, they should fulfill the requirements of three parameters above.  They should be aesthetically pleasing, your speech should sound proper, and you are able to bite and chew. The V sounds are used to determine anterior - posterior position of your teeth (front to back)  The F sounds determine the length.Please go and see a prosthodontist, or a dentist who understands theses principles.  When teeth are positioned properly, it only takes minutes for the patient to accommodate and speak properly.Best of luck,

Susan Hollinsworth, DDS (retired) · Answer

Dr. Kaufman outlined  things very well. The position and thickness of the teeth can definitely affect your speech. Yes, having had deciduous teeth all those years makes the new ones much bigger I'm sure and there is an adjustment period. However, it sounds like you have given it time and have practiced speaking so now it is time to seek out a dentist (prosthodontist would be ideal) that can decipher what is going on. Did you have that problem when the temporaries were in? Usually the dentist will work out the bite and occlusal scheme in the temporaries to make sure that it will work for the patient especially when a drastic change is being made. As Dr. Kaufman said ,f and v sounds determine the length and forward position of the teeth;th sounds are determined by the space or thickness of the teeth and the shape of the arch. Hopefully, the specialist can make some changes with the existing crowns and bridges to help correct this, but they may need to be redone. Good luck.

Why can I not speak properly?

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Why can I not speak properly?

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