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Stuttering and Jaw Tension Here’s some background information. When I was younger, I was an excellent speaker. I was outgoing. I used to volunteer to read in front of classrooms, and I had no problem talking to my friends and classmates. After high school, I was able to find a well-paying job while still in college. With the money, I went to an orthodontist and asked for braces since I was a little self-conscious about how my teeth look. My teeth weren’t too bad to begin with, so the orthodontic treatment only took a year. Immediately after getting my braces removed, I noticed that I had trouble pronouncing certain words and sounds, and I guess I had a lisp as well. I stuttered a little bit too. I spoke fine while I had my braces, but I ignored the problem thinking that maybe I just need to get used to having straighter teeth and having no braces. I am now 24 years old. It’s been five years since my braces were removed. I still have my stutter, and some jaw tension. Also, when I make an ‘S’ sound, or a ‘T’ sound, I notice that I’m biting at the same time. This creates a clicking sound that people around me have noticed while I speak. I tried slowing down my speech, but I’m still biting and stuttering. I’m not sure if the biting and the stuttering are related, or if either of those symptoms came from having my braces removed five years ago. I now try to avoid speaking to people, especially in front of large groups of people. This is difficult to do since I am in upper management and I’m in constant communication with my employees and peers. Because of my stutter, I have become somewhat of an introvert. I am considering seeing a speech pathologist, but I wanted to post this up before I do so I can get some feedback about what I’m experiencing. What’s with the biting? Is it causing my stuttering? What can I expect when I see a speech pathologist? Will it be any help at all?