While it's easy to overlook, it is inevitable that our teeth play a crucial role in our ability to speak. It has a significant impact on our ability to pronounce words correctly. However, when the teeth are misaligned or positioned incorrectly, it impacts our ability to articulate words clearly. This can lead to confusion for the people hearing us. 

Crooked teeth are a common occurrence among many people. However, one question that many people have regarding this teeth misalignment is whether it can cause a lisp. 

This article has gathered insights from dentists and speech pathologists to answer this question, “Can crooked teeth cause a lisp?” and explores potential solutions for those affected.

Understanding A Lisp

Before diving into the question, “Can crooked teeth cause lisp?” It is important to understand what a lisp is and how it influences one's speech. 

In simple terms, lisp is a speech impediment that impacts one's ability to speak and pronounce certain consonants, mostly those associated with the “S” and “Z” sounds. Those who have a lisp pronounce these words with a “th” note, which may sound inaudible or confusing to anyone hearing it. For example, the word “sister” may sound like “Thither”. 

Other articulatory difficulties include mispronouncing the letters “d” and “t,” which can result from an open bite. Some may experience whistling when talking, but it can happen because of improper spacing or gaps between teeth. 

There are many types of lisp, such as interdental, dental, lateral, and palatal lisp. Each has its own characteristics in how it makes words sound different from how they should be heard. 

The Connection Between Crooked Teeth and Lisps

Crooked teeth, also known as malocclusion, can influence the position of the tongue and airflow when speaking. This can make words sound different as you pronounce them, making speech inaudible or, in some cases, leading to misinterpretations. 

Here is how crooked teeth can lead to lisp by interrupting between tongue and airflow: 

The Position of The Tongue

Certain words, especially the sounds of “S” and “Z,” need precise tongue placement to sound accurate. Crooked teeth can misalign this tongue position, causing the tongue to hit or be blocked by the teeth or interfere in between, making it sound different than what it is supposed to be. 

Airflow Disruption

How our tongue moves is key to crisp and clear speech. Air needs to flow smoothly through the tongue for speech to be accurate and heard correctly. Crooked teeth can distract this airflow, making certain words sound incorrect. 

Oral Cavity Space

Crooked teeth can restrict or limit the available space in the mouth, disturbing the tongue’s movement and flexibility, which are required for accurate speech articulation. 

Similar to these, crooked teeth can lead to certain teeth misalignments, which can lead to lisps. Here is how it works: 

Overbite

This happens when the upper teeth protrude far more than the lower set of front teeth. Those experiencing an overbite because of crooked teeth can have difficulties in making tongue-tipped sounds and sibilants.

For those unaware, sibilants are when ”s” pronunciations sound like “th”, causing people to mishear or misinterpret the meaning. 

Underbite

An underbite is the exact opposite of an overbite. In an underbite, the lower front teeth protrude more than the upper front teeth. 

People with an underbite due to crooked teeth can find it difficult to reach the top ridge of the roof of their mouths using their tongues. This can restrict their ability to make alveolar sounds, i.e., sounds like ‘t’, ‘d', and ‘n’.

Open Bite 

This is a more complex case of crooked teeth where the top and bottom teeth don’t fit together, causing a gap and making it look like your mouth is open even when you close it. 

Just like with an underbite, this can make it difficult to produce alveolar sounds and may cause you to have a lisp when you talk.

However, it is also important to emphasise that while crooked teeth can contribute to these conditions, some can experience these teeth misalignments without necessarily experiencing crooked teeth. 

Whatever the case, teeth misalignments, including crooked teeth, essentially restrict the ability to pronounce words as they are meant to sound, increasing the risk of lisp. 

This concludes the answer to the question, “Can crooked teeth cause lisp?” Yes, they can.

Teeth Straightening As The Ideal Solution 

One might be able to guess the most ideal and effective solution to correct crooked teeth and its effect on leading to lisp is by straightening it. This is where modern orthodontic solutions like metal braces, ceramic braces, dental implants and clear aligners prove the best. 

However, orthodontists have favoured clear aligners and dental implants more because of their convenience and sustainable results, which can be hard to replicate with traditional treatments. 

Lastly, it is important to emphasise that at the beginning of your aligner treatment, speech impediments like whistling, slurring, and lisping can become worse. 

However, this is a normal case for treatment procedures, and it is not something to worry about. With practice, you will adjust to wearing clear aligners, and your speech problems will be cured completely after your clear aligners treatment is completed.

Straightening teeth can help with a lisp by improving tongue positioning, better lip control, correcting bite issues, and altering the shape of the oral cavity.  

Lisps Cannot Be Treated Naturally

While many believe crooked teeth can be fixed on their own or naturally as one grows, they don’t. It is also not recommended to treat crooked teeth at home because, in worse cases, it can aggravate the problem and interfere with other healthy parts of your teeth and oral cavity in general. 

As soon as one sees or observes any onset of lisp because of crooked teeth, it is best to get started on treatments right away. 

This can shorten the time it takes to correct your lisp and the impact it has on your social life, confidence, and mental well-being in general. 

Combining Braces And Speech Therapy For Articulation Problems

As with any dental treatment, the most effective treatment duration to straighten the teeth and improve outcomes on lisp depends on one’s teeth profile. Basing this, some clear aligners, implants, or braces could only be the start of fixing a speech impediment. 

In such cases, speech therapy would become necessary once the teeth and jaw are properly aligned. 

A speech therapist can help you train your mouth, lips, and tongue to work properly with your new straightened smile.