Braces and other dental issues

[srcsax]

OK, i'm just about 44 years young (notice how older folk always say "years young" ?) and i am faced with the posability of braces. And a bridge for a missing molar.

Now, I know this is good for me, but i am wondering what to expect if i go thru with this. I do play for a living and have my horn in my mouth about 8 ~ 10 hours a day. So i am currious how this will affect my performance.

[disgruntleddave]

it depends on your playing style. if you have one of those embouchures where you put a lot of pressure on your teeth or something, it may affect you more than otherwise.

I had braces. Depending on who your orthodontist will be and their style, it may hurt a lot for a few days, or for a couple weeks. When they are put on, any pressure you put on your teeth will be painful, maybe very, maybe just a bit. It was quite painful in the beginning for me (soft foods eaten, etc).

If you are getting ones on the bottom, it will be more of a problem, than just on the top, which will still be a problem. My advice is to give your sax a break for however long its relatively painful for (and take it easy when they get tightened because that will feel unpleasant too), but besides that, i doubt it will affect you.

The only real difference is that your lips will have to be over some metal, which may feel weird at first, but is no real probelm. As long as you dont grate your lips over your teeth while playing, after a few days it will be the same. when i got mine off, i had no problems at all, and when i got em on, i also had no problems.

Just take it easy.

[averageschmoe]

it's going to feel very odd. you will need to get used to using a different part of your lower lip, and your upper lip will feel distended. the most drastic change will probably be your extended techniques, they may need some finding again. you're going to want to be careful placing your lower lip over your teeth, the constant rubbing can lead to painful sores (you may want to cover the braces on your lower front teeth with wax to alleviate any discomfort). just give it some practice time and it'll feel all right again, and in time you'll forget about em completely.

[kcp]

When I started playing saxophone, I already had braces (top and bottom)
It wasn't so bad for me except for some irritations on the inside of the lower lip. But ask your orthodentist to give you some wax. You can stick little pieces of wax onto your braces to prevent irritations. That really helped for me. In my case it was espescially after (5yrs later) I had my braces removed, that created a problem for my playing. It took me about a month to get adjusted playing without braces.

[srcsax]

Thanks for all the info guys! This sortas frightens me. I can't stop playing my horn for any amount of time because i am in a Navy Band. But i just heard about these platic braces that go over your teeth. I'm going to look into those.

[Thomas]

SoZ, look into a new type of braces that fit inside the teeth-a new technique I heard of somewhere-also I think they use plastic for some braces now.

[captorquewrench]

they also make bumpers to go over braces.

I am faced with the possibility of braces as well, so I've been looking into it.

[Saxophoon]

Son,
Your 44, and you've had your teeth for 44 yrs! As long as they are not baracuda teeth and are not affecting everyday life dont mess with them. People will tell you that they might affect your playing because of this or that and blah blah blah....they DO affect your playing. It will take quite a while to adjust and get back to playing but you wont be able to play as much. You will never completely get used to them and they will never completely be comfortable (no matter bumpers and wax or whatever).

Bottom line is they WILL irratate your lips and the rest of your mouth which are crucial to playing (more so them most are aware) and they will affect playing for the worse.

My advice, DONT DONT DONT get them!

[primetime]

well, i'm not quite 43 (my parents are...) but I've been playing with braces for like 2 years now, and it was akward at first, but now i really have no problems. The biggest problem was that I got them on 2 days before our school's big jazz concert..try explaining THAT to the director...

[Vortex]

I got my lower braces removed about a month ago, man does it feel good to have those off (i still have the upper for a few more weeks). Yes the lower ones make it a pain in the rear to try to play for any amount of time, as when you apply pressure with your lip you end up pushing with those metal things as the support. Your own teeth are much gentler. On top of that, every time you get the braces adjusted your teeth will be sore for at least a few days afterwards. Be aware that with braces at your age, your embouchure will get unsteady as they rearrange your teeth over time.

Of course there's the advantages to them of having a perfect set of teeth, and they might be useful if you have an overbite.

[saxamaphonegirl]

what about porcelain veneers or permanent replacement teeth?
the ones where they pull the originals and then screw in porcelain ones?

has anyone ever had this experience?