Klarinet Archive - Posting 000265.txt from 1998/04

From: Dodgshun family <dodgshun@-----.nz>
Subj: Re: DENTURES AND CLARINET PLAYING
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 23:00:18 -0400

At 04:35 PM 6/04/98 -0400, you wrote:
>>So, happy flossing, brushing and water picking!
>
>
>UUUGGG....
>
>ACCKK! A flashback....my first visit to the dentist at age 12...
>
>Anyhow...
>
>I know that was off the beaten path. That reminded me of this too, does
>anybody have any ideas on playing with orthodontic braces and about
>readjusting when they are taken off?
>
I had braces put on my bottom teeth. It didn't really affect my sound at
all; it just hurt to play for a while. Eventually my lip toughened up and
my embouchure stayed pretty much as it had always been. When I had them
taken off, after 3 years or so, playing felt really strange. I had to
rethink my embouchure because I found myself playing differently. This was
probably because my teeth were aligned properly. The changes while my
braces were on were so gradual I never noticed them, but once the braces
came off it was a major change. I think it's just a matter of trying
different ways of playing until you find something that works. Some people
put wax or special guards on their braces when they play - brass players do
this a lot - but I never saw the need. I've still got indentations on the
inside of my lip, even though my braces have been off for 3 years now!

Anna