 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: esargresa
Date: 2001-02-06 16:11
How do braces affect clarinet playing???
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-02-06 16:49
Three complications arise from new braces;
The inside of the lips may be irritated, and 3M (amongst others) produce very thin guards to minimize the effect.
The teeth will begin to move, slightly requiing adjustment by the player to a moving fulcrum in the embouchure (top and bottom, presumably).
There can be some pain associated with the process, that may shorten playing time.
Discuss this with the orthodontist for an informed answer.
anji
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Author: Lisa
Date: 2001-02-06 17:44
I began playing the clarinet in 5th grade and got braces shortly thereafter. I don't remember having much trouble as a result. I wore braces through 7th grade and played the clarinet, too.
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Author: Eb
Date: 2001-02-06 21:10
My daughter had braces on in the 6th grade, and got them off during the beginning of 8th grade. She had no trouble at all, and sounded good for her experience.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2001-02-07 03:38
My son started orthodontia and clarinet at the same time (4th grade.) He only experienced pain on playing at times the braces were adjusted. Orthodontist did excellent job correcting crowding and a cross bite. When braces came off, the bite changed (it always goes back some, they over correct to compensate) more than the ortho. expected. He looked for causes, suggested extraction of unerupted wisdom teeth. We suggested the pressure from clarinet playing as a cause, he didn't know either way. We did not have the wisdom teeth extracted, at suggestion of general dentist he kept using the retainers well beyond the norm (3 years later he still wears them most of the time.) The movement eventually stoped and the bite still is very good. Just something to look out for. We actually had him play for the general dentist as she had no idea of how a clarinet is played! She enjoyed her mini-concert!
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Author: Todd
Date: 2001-02-07 06:03
As a dentist who had to wear braces and play clarinet in school, I can tell you, you will learn to adapt as your teeth move. As mentioned in a previous posting, there will be days where it will hurt to play because they will change your arch wire. However, in the long run, I think it may help your playing because it will level out the way you bite, making it more even across the mouthpiece and reed. I've had other patients in braces who play clarinet. They haven't mentioned any problems. If you have braces on the bottom teeth and they cut into your lip while playing, you can ask your orthodontist or dentist for some wax to put over the braces. You can also use denture pads which are available at the drug store over your lower teeth.
Good luck!
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Author: Daniel Bouwmeester
Date: 2001-02-07 17:17
I had braces for a long time, and have had good and bad experiences with them.
1) Braces will oblige you to develop your air column, since you cannot rely on lips and embouchure for tone and pitch.
2) Braces will make your embouchure bad since you can't play using the flat chin embouchure.
I have been able to play without any big trouble with braces, even ranked 2nd on the national swiss music competition.
Playing during braces is hard, but playing after braces is easy.... you will notice that you will easily manage to reach high high C without big difficulties.
Make sure when you get your braces off to work on embouchure....
Work on long tones, a lot of long tones... Take time to warmup properly..
When you get your braces off, you will be a better player than most of the others that haven't had them.. That's what hapened to me... The year when I got my braces off, I won the national music competition.
Good luck and make sure you get lot's of wax from 3M, to avoid finishing your practice with lips bleading.
Best wishes
Daniel
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Author: deejay
Date: 2001-02-08 23:50
I had braces and I didn't have any trouble. You can always use wax, I found that helped. I also played sax and mellophone and brass instruments when I played my mellophone it hurt my lips, but playing clarinet it's not so bad. I wouln't worry that much about it.
Deejay
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2001-02-10 04:19
ALL of the first section clarinetists at my son's middle school have braces. You can conclude something if you want to, but I was surprised.
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