Klarinet Archive - Posting 000256.txt from 2002/07

From: Neil Leupold <leupold_1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Orthodontics and embouchure
Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2002 19:39:46 -0400

I'm 32 and got braces six months ago. The greatest negative consequence of having
them put on my teeth pertained to my ability to eat rather than my ability to play.
As I'm sure you experienced as well to some degree, the inner linings of your cheeks
are not accustomed to having pointy metallic objects jutting into them all the time,
and mine were shredded up nicely before I finally started using the wax on a regular
basis. Those first two weeks were living hell. I found myself close to tears more
than once, both in pain and frustration, trying in agony to chew my food and swallow
it.

I was highly apprehensive about the effect that the braces would have on my playing.
That was why I canvassed the list prior to going forward with the procedure. The out-
come? Almost no effect whatsoever. I don't even use the wax any more (probably be-
cause my cheeks are a mass of scars on the inside by now). And ever since Eastman,
when a grad student opened her mouth & showed me how she protected her bottom lip,
I've always used a small piece of index card over my bottom front teeth. With the
braces, I've merely had to tear off a slightly larger piece to cover the brackets
along with the tops of those teeth. No problem. As the teeth have moved, my em-
bouchure has adjusted with them, and I have literally experienced no adverse ef-
fects. Knock on blackwood, I guess. My relief was immeasurable when I realized
that I would have no problem playing while the braces did their thing. It'll be
just another six months before I have them removed, and I've been told that the
most dramatic thing I'll notice is how slick my teeth will feel without the brack-
ets on them, along with the extra space that will suddenly be available inside my
mouth. I don't anticipate any serious problems adjusting my playing to the ab-
sence of braces on my teeth when that glorious day arrives. And women have told
me I have a sexy smile with braces, so I'm a happy guy either way!

Neil

--- C & B Sabal <jomalu@-----.com> wrote:
> The wisdom teeth conversation got me thinking....I'm back to daily practice
> now after about 6 yrs off, but this time I'm wearing braces (didn't have the
> $$ for them way back in the teen yrs). I was apprehensive in starting with
> a mouth full of metal as I knew it would mess w/ my embouchure. It took a
> while to adjust and it seems as my teeth move, my embouchure needs to change
> a bit as well. One thing I have noticed is that I've taken to having more
> of the mouthpiece in my mouth as well as more of my bottom lip pulled over
> my teeth while playing than I remember having in the past. I guess it's for
> comfort, BUT I also seemed to have developed a bad habit of tonguing behind
> the lip rather than on the reed. (yes, I'm cringing, too). I've HOPING
> that it'll be easier to get back to proper mechanics once my braces are
> removed (hopefully this winter).
>
> Wondering what others' experiences are with braces and how they affected
> your playing (and how you overcame the problems)
>
> Thanks!!
>
> Barb Sabal

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