 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Heidi
Date: 2003-01-10 15:21
Hello all,
I have noticed that my teeth have been moving around since I've been in college and playing more. My bottom front teeth have very nearly squared off and have even started to go in. My top front teeth used to be even in length...now one is shorter than the other due to the pressure from playing. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to get them looked at soon...and if so, what would the dentist due, if anything??
Thanks in advance!
Heidi
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2003-01-10 16:47
Heidi,
Go see a dentist. If you ave been plaing for years and haven't changed frequency of practice then someting is wrong. If you have just taken up the clarinet then it is possible that you are moving the teeth due to the orthodontic forces generated by long hours of practice, however it is also possible you have a problem.
Teeth should have a small amount of movement when biting, you can feel that by putting a finger on a front tooth as you bite into something. This physiological movement shoulc be in the order of one half millimeter or less. The gross displacement you mention is not physiological movement.
Bodily repositioning of teeth is often due to orthodontic forces: i.e. light forces applied to the teeth over long periods of time. Due to the intermittant nature of the forces generated due to clarinet playing orthodontic movement of teeth is unusual.
Another cause of movement of teeth is weakening of their attachment to the bone. Several things can weaken the attachment to the bone, these include but are not limited to: trauma, periodontal disease, hormonal problems, tumors, and cancers. In a college student the most common of these causes is trauma. Trauma could be getting hit in the mouth, wearing braces which are delivering too large a force, adverse habits like thumb sucking or clarinet playing, bruxism (grinding your teeth which can even occur while you sleep or be caused by mental stress), injuries to your jaw or chin, wearing an ill fitting or damaged retainer, not wearing your retainer, or foreign objects becoming lodged around the teeth. Periodontal disease is a condition which causes loss of bone from around the teeth allowing them to become loose. The other causes mentioned are very unlikely, but can be very serious. In any case all of the above causes require investigation by your dentist and then perhaps a referral to a physician.
As for what the dentist will do, you can expect him/her to have you fill out a health form then interview you. Following this an examination of your mouth, including a cancer screening, will be done and full mouth radiographs will probably be ordered. Either return to your regular dentist for this examination or request that previous x-ray films and records be sent to your new dentist. These records will be important in allowing the dentist to detect changes from your previous health state.
Following a complete exam the dentist will consult with you and discuss the likely cause of the changes you are seeing, and then a treatment plan or referrals will be presented. That is all... oh, yes, you will likely be billed for the visit. If you are away at school you may want to check and see if there is a dental school at your university. If so, the cost of a thorough exam will be less there and the exam will be supervised by experts in diagnosis with other specialists on site and available.
Please don't construe this as some huge ominous threatening thing, in some cases the problem can be solved by placing the horn in your mouth in a different position and changing the amount of force you are using. Just be aware that there is a possibility that tooth position changes may signal the presence of another problem which, if detected early can be resolved much more easily.
Now get going.... Terry (a practicing dentist)
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Author: Bart Hendrix
Date: 2003-01-10 21:36
One thing Terry didn't mention directly that would be shown by the radiographs is the development of wisdom teeth. That could start about college age or a little later and has been the cause of tooth movement in several people I know -- including myself. I had to have teeth extracted to make room for the ones that were left before I had braces as a child. There sure wasn't enough room for the wisdom teeth when they started to come in while I was in grad school.
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Author: Heidi
Date: 2003-01-10 23:38
Hello!
Wow.....what advice! My wisdom teeth are still here and have not "really" decided to come in...but like Bert, my little mouth just has no room for them and it will be an issue very soon. I'm thinking about getting them surgically removed this summer actually.
In my eyes, the movement of my teeth isn't huge, it's just something I'm curious about. But I will go consult a dentist very soon...as soon as I can actually. Being a student, it is hard for me to get out to the dentist...even more so to pay for one.
Thanks so much for your advice!!!
Heidi
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2003-01-11 00:14
Bart,
Although some dentists still claim that wisdom tooth eruption will crowd up the front teeth most do not feel this happens. There is a natural drift forwards of teeth which occurs and is often pronounced around the time of wisdom tooth eruption. The removal of wisdom teeth often fails to prevent this normal drift of teeth. The wisdom teeth are removed for reasons other than prevention of front tooth crowding.
This forward shift usually doesn't cause a single tooth to intrude. Another thing I didn't mention as a cause of tooth looseness is dental abscesses. This problem indeed destroys bone and can be a sequellae to trauma or cavities. In any case all of the possibilities mentioned including the co-incident status of the wisdom teeth would be evident in a thorough dental exam.
TH
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Author: Josh
Date: 2003-01-11 00:33
I have experienced this as well (the bottom teeth). To me, this is nothing serious as I can chew food just as easily as I could otherwise, heh. Also, (I am second chair in a high school band) the first chair player has this same occurence.
With one tooth being longer than the other... Have you ever gotten hit in the face with something? Like... did something ever knock the tooth a little loose, but given a little time, it seemed normal again? In that case, it wouldn't be noticed as easily until you see the bite marks on the mouthpiece and notice they look odd.
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Author: anon
Date: 2003-01-11 02:01
And don't forget to brush and floss. lol.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2003-01-11 02:22
After having full mouth peridontal surgery last year, I find that the gums and teeth are much more solid. There is no detectable teeth movement or gum pain as there was before. I was concerned that it might affect clarinet playing. I'm much older than a college student. Good luck!
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Author: Peter
Date: 2003-01-11 02:40
I never did get my wisdom teeth...Perhaps that's why... Never mind!
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Author: Heidi
Date: 2003-01-11 03:33
No...I've never been hit in the mouth or anything tramatic like that..that's why I'm curious about it. The top front teeth used to be straight across and even on the bottom....now they are a very small bit different in length and are starting to come out some in the middle causing a very minor almost triange type shape.
I have noticed the bite marks on my mpc....the one that is deeper is for the tooth that is shorter and more angled, so that's why I'm thinking it is because of the bite pressure I'm putting on it.
And I do brush my teeth alot...:)
Thanks!
Heidi
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2003-01-11 07:57
As another practicing dentist ~I've nothing major to add to Terry's comprehensive statements. Heidi - your last post is interesting. I've never liked to see indentations made on a m/p by a player's upper incisors. If this is happening, the possibility is there that too much pressure is being used. I recommend to all my colleagues and playing patients, the shock absorbent mouthpiece patch.
For a start, the resale possibilities of a "bitten and grooved" mouthpiece are zero. Your teeth benefit from this spongy pad (regularly changable) and I hesitate to say that your perception of your "tone" is not corrupted by harsh conducted vibrations.
m/p patches are very inexpensive.
BobT
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Author: Bob
Date: 2003-01-11 16:59
Double lip procedure helps prevent excessive pressure on uppers...
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Author: Heidi
Date: 2003-01-11 18:44
Hi!
I forgot to mention that I do have a mpc patch...the identions are in it..not the mouthpiece itself. It's just all very interesting. I'm going to ask my teacher about it when he gets back from traveling and consult a dentist very soon. Thanks ever so much for your enlightening comments!
Heidi
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2003-01-12 07:26
Good point - most dentists won't know "embouchure" from "embalming". It'll let the dentist see exactly what you're after and why.
As an aside you could offer to play the slow movement from the Horowitz Sonata to take the strain out of his/her day !
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Author: Whitney
Date: 2003-01-20 00:38
Not to rehash an old topic, but I have this same problem, too, only MY biting (coupled with an evilly sharp bonade lig) has ruined a beautiful (in appearance and tone) Fobes San Francisco mouthpiece. I have bad embouchure to begin with, and I'll be the first to admit it. I use far too much lower lip and, obviously, I bite on top. I like to blame this on a childhood incident... When I was very young, I accidentally ripped my cheek open very near my mouth and had it fixed (without stitches, as I was young and the doctor wanted to avoid much scarring). Could this actually be affecting my ability to pull in my corners (as I believe it is)? The grooves (yes, terrifyingly, there are grooves) created by my teeth aren't even consistent. The one on the left (looking down, in playing position) is shorter in width and length than the one on the right. Incidentally, it is the right-hand cheek that was injured. It may be a bit comforting to note that the grooves aren't getting worse and so are possibly old marks, but still... I'm in love with my mpc, and now it's just starting to look pathetic. I'm considering buying a new Fobes or perhaps a Bay, but I don't want to do it until I fix this!!!! Additionally, I'm about to graduate from high school, and I'd like to do something with music in college. Taking lessons is a distinct possibility, but again, I'd like to do so with good embouchure. Thank you all very much for everything you post! ((I've been browsing all day, looking for advice on upgrading from my beloved Normandy 4 to a "pro" clarinet.))
Sincerely,
Whitney
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