My dentist placed two crowns and ten porcelain veneers in late August. I had three sets of temporaries, and the final set looked and felt perfect. I’ve had permanent crowns and veneers since mid-September, and they disrupt my speech. My tongue feels too big for my arch and rests behind my lower front teeth. It feels so awkward.
My dentist can’t determine what’s happening with the crowns or veneers. Could the premolar crowns be the problem? – Thanks! Lou Anne from SC
Lou Anne,
We understand your concern about the impact of your dental treatment on your tongue and speech. An advanced cosmetic dentist would need to examine and x-ray your teeth to identify the cause of your discomfort.
While properly placed porcelain veneers don’t interfere with speech or chewing, you may have received porcelain crowns instead. Crowns, which cover the entire tooth, can potentially affect speech patterns.
Experienced cosmetic dentists are skilled in creating restorations that minimize speech disturbances. They carefully consider tooth contour, thickness, and position to ensure a natural and comfortable result. Ideally, temporary restorations assess fit, function, and speech before proceeding with permanent restorations.
It’s concerning that your permanent crowns caused issues after a satisfactory experience with the temporaries. This suggests a potential discrepancy in the fabrication or placement process. It’s possible that the dental laboratory may not have accurately replicated the temporary restorations, or the dentist may not have properly positioned the permanent crowns.
While many patients adapt to new dental restorations over time, a dentist must address persistent speech difficulties. If the problem persists and your dentist can’t resolve it, we recommend seeking a second opinion.
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