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clarinet playing and jaw development

Author: joanne
Date: 2004-12-15 17:31

I have just read the many posts here from people with jaw trouble: clicking, pain, etc, and would like to take a poll of the BB members.
At what age did those of you with jaw problems begin playing the clarinet?

I started at age 10, when the bones are still growing, and I wonder now if the pressure on our jaw caused by playing (in my case with a very 'pinched' embouchure) has affected the development of the jaw bones. Just like kids who are very active develop strong bones to counterbalance the pressure exerted by strong muscles, do our jaw bones grow abnormally to balance the unusual pressure of our jaw muscles?

My dentist made me a night guard to wear over my bottom teeth while I sleep to try set my jaw right and prevent my teeth from grinding, but I think it just made the problem worse: because it was very uncomfortable I seemed to tense my jaw even more.

If anyone has had x-rays of the jaw I would like to know if the doctor noticed unusual bone growth in clarinet players. Have they invented laser surgery yet to blast away extral little bumps of bone that prevent the jaw from opening properly?

Thanks for any comments...

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