I got my upper TMJ appliance fitted on Monday, so now I have great hunks of plastic and metal in all corners of my mouth. Almost nothing is viewable when I talk or smile, but I am having flashbacks to my early days with braces. The appliances do noticeably affect my speech, however, and I have never been more conscious of how awkward and slurred my words come out. The wires of the upper appliance keep my tongue from hitting my front palette, so words with sounds like "sh" come out all mushy. Hopefully by the start of school I will be able to avoid letting something like "Hello, Award-Winning Dethign Profethor, nische to meet you!" escape my metal-bound mouth.