[Alicandra]

Hi All -
I am hoping someone out there is familiar with a product that covers the lower teeth while the saxophone player has the ligature in the mouth. My son has been playing sax for 3 years, but lately has had a serious issue with his lower teeth cutting into his bottom lip. He gets a very sore lower lip within moments of playing.

His sax teacher remembers a product from years ago, called "Lip Savers" that was a clear piece of plastic that could be slipped over the lower teeth and cushion the lip. But when I searched on the web, everything I found with Lip Savers referred to chapstick-like products. I did find lots of mouthpiece cushions, but they seemed to be geared towards protecting the ligature from the upper teeth, not anything for the lower teeth.

Thanks in advance for any ideas, etc.!

Ali in MA:?

 

[elguapo]

Lip saver

It is listed as bay lip ease teeth cushion at WWBW site. Here is a link to the listing:

http://www.wwbw.com/Bay-Lip-Ease-Teeth-Cushion-i83435.music

 

[retread]

...and it works.

 

[saxxsymbol]

also he could use a finger nail file and file the edges off the bottom teeth. worked for me.

 

[Martinman]

also he could use a finger nail file and file the edges off the bottom teeth. worked for me.

I would HIGHLY reccomend having your family dentist do this as an ABSOLUTE last resort for someone so young.

Also, the ligature should not be in his mouth. That is the metal (or leather) thing that holds the reed (the wooden thing) on his mouthpiece (the hard rubber or plastic thing).

Your son might also be biting. You might want to ask his teacher about this.

I also have a problem like this with my lower lip. I have sharp teeth, and my lip eventually developed a cushion to protect itself. I have not cut it since this thing grew in, but it still hurts sometimes. It is just another part of playing sax for me; it doesn't really bother me that much any more.

 

[jazzsax07]

I have had the same problem for 50+years. My dentist once stated that because of my "bite" not being in line I never had wear on my lower teeth.
Since about the age of maybe 13 I have been cutting a strip of fish tank air tubing to fit over my lower teeth. The width is the width of my four lower front teeth and then I make a slit in it lengthwise with an exacto or a single edge razor blade. The tubing fits over my lower teeth with no discomfort. To this day I still use it. Try to find the thinnest walled tubing.
You get so you can place it and remove it from the lower teeth with tongue movement.
I hope this helps.

 

[Alicandra]

Wow! I never expected responses so quickly - thanks everyone!

I will be calling my son's dentist today to see what he can offer too.

Many, many thanks -
Ali in MA

 

[Grumps]

Don't some folks use cigarette papers folded over their bottom teeth for this sort of thing?

 

[Martinman]

Don't some folks use cigarette papers folded over their bottom teeth for this sort of thing?

Yes. I think this was discussed in another thread.

 

[Grumps]

Just in this case, I don't know if you'd want a kid carrying around rolling paper...

 

[Swampcabbage]

I believe Ernie Watts had his dentist create one. It may be Teflon if I remember correctly.

 

[claxton]

Any dentist can make a quick impression of the lower teeth from which an exact plaster model of the teeth will be made. On that model, a piece of .020" plastic can be heated and vacuum formed over the model, then trimmed. This is the same way many clear orthodontic retainers and trays for whitening teeth are made. It should be relatively inexpensive, and depending upon your dentist and your relationship with him/her, they might do it for less than $50.00. I'd do it for nothing, but then again, I'm a pushover for music students, especially if they and their family have been regular patients. Judicious smoothing of some sharp edges--by a dentist-- might be indicated.

The idea to use an emery board at home on the teeth is blatently stupid, but since I have seen folks try things even stupider, I will address the idea: DON'T DO IT!!!

If for some reason a dentist-borne solution is out, the low-tech ideas such as the trimmed fish tank tubing may work fine. You might try experimenting with some of the "boil and bite" moutpieces used for sports, but they will require a lot of trimming to get them small enough. Sharp kitchen shears and a Dremel might help.

I can't imagine having paper in my mouth getting soggier and soggier as I played. Yuck.

 

[jbtsax]

An inexpensive solution is "EZO" brand denture cushions available at most pharmacies. You just cut an oval patch the size to fit over the lower teeth and heat it under hot water for a few seconds and then fold it over the bottom teeth. It forms to the teeth and it retains that shape to provide a thin cushion over the bottom teeth to protect the lower lip.


John

 

[A Greene]

I second the EZO - Cheap and works great. Been using it for about 5 years when I started developing lip issues.