Does Missing Front Teeth Affect a Child’s “L” Sound?

It’s very common for children to temporarily lose their front teeth during the early elementary years, and parents often wonder whether this will impact speech, especially sounds like /l/.

The good news? Missing the front two teeth usually does not significantly interfere with producing the /l/ sound.

Why “L” Is Usually Unaffected

The /l/ sound is made by lifting the tip of the tongue to the alveolar ridge, the bumpy spot just behind the upper front teeth, not by touching the teeth themselves. Because the tongue doesn’t rely on the front teeth for placement, most children can continue producing a clear /l/ even when those teeth are missing.

What You Might Notice

Some children may show:

• Slight changes in airflow or clarity early on

• A brief adjustment period as the mouth feels “different”

• Temporary tongue-forward movement in connected speech

These changes are typically short-lived and resolve on their own as the child adapts.

When to Monitor More Closely

Speech may need extra support if a child:

• Was already struggling with /l/ before losing teeth

• Develops a persistent tongue-forward pattern

• Shows difficulty across multiple sounds, not just /l/

In most cases, missing front teeth are a developmental phase, not a speech setback.

If you have concerns, a speech-language pathologist can help determine whether errors are part of normal adjustment or something that needs targeted support.

Author: Brittany Schoellkopf M.S., CCC-SLP