 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-05-26 05:57
I started developing an overbite in 7th grade, and it has slowly gotten worse over the years, and I've had fears for a while that this might negatively affect my playing, so I've been considering getting braces. However, I've heard horror stories of braces killing the sound of previously good-sounding instrumentalists, and on single-reed instruments in particular. Does anyone else have experience in this, can an over/underbite cause you to have tone and squeaking issues, and will you eventually get used to the new shape of the mouth the braces are producing?
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-05-26 06:25
Ah, and another note - my overbite is so bad that I've developed a really tough spot right below my lower lip because of my bottom teeth biting into it in an attempt to make a decent shape with my mouth. I'm guessing that isn't supposed to happen...
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Author: Markus Wenninger
Date: 2004-05-26 06:29
You will get used to it - it´s just that Your lower lip will hurt sooner. This is all (I used to wear braces on my upper as well as on my lower jawfor nearly 3 years; if You don´t have any problems directly from this overbite concerning Your health, if braces are "just" for the looks, and especially if You have to sacrifice some perfectly healthy teeth for fitting the braces- as yours truly did, the idiot, don´t let them make You wear one!). It requires some readjustement of embrochure (it will feel as if Your lower teethrow is thickened somehow), but it doesn´t affect the sound, at least not proveable empirically...though it might very well affect the hysterical psyche of us woodwindplayers, and this in turn will effect the sound, so there´s a way those "horror stories" might become true).
Markus
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-05-26 13:22
I have a fairly big overbite as well (due to my lower jaw bone growing quicker/larger than the my upper jaw bone/skull). But when I confronted the dentist about it, she said it shouldn't be that much of a problem. It's not hindering me from doing anything (doesn't make it 'hard' to chew or anything), and she said it's fairly common with males, and doesn't even look bad. She said any change that I would want to do would involve surgery (I'm beyond the help of braces) and would be purely cosmetic. So I'm not going to worry about.
Maybe first you should find out does it HAVE to be done. Then weight the pros/cons of doing it (like you are with the ability to play). I would think that you could adjust to play well no matter WHAT the situation, however your sound would never be the same (since I've read time and time again on this board that your oral cavity and structure contributes a good deal to the sound).
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Ron Jr.
Date: 2004-05-26 14:57
I had braces for about 17 months. I had to stop playing during that time. When I repeatedly attempted to play I had to put on so much dental wax on my teeth that I felt I had a hockey mouthpiece in my mouth. It was very difficult to get my mouth muscles around to make a tight seal.
Also the tooth area on my bottom teeth was thickend by the wax that I had to put on and as a result my tone was deadened. Kind of like the difference between holding a ruler off a table and flicking the tip so it vibrates and trying to do the same thing off the edge of the bed.
However after the braces came off my tone very quickly surpassed my former tone. With my teeth perfectly in line, it was easier for me to hold my embouchure, tongue high, cheeks filling into the mouth and the front of the jaw flat. Also my bottom teeth were now lined up perfectly so that I had more control, especially tonguing, in the upper altissimo register.
As for the overbite, since you can move your jaw forwards and backwards I don't see how this is an issue.
The advantage the clarinetist has by having perfectly straight teeth is:
1. It's easier to hold the correct embouchure
2. Nasty canker sores are much less frequent because the corners of sharp, crooked teeth are not abrading the gums. (FYI I read about an experiment where scientists gave subjects tiny pinpricks to the insides of their gums. The found that canker sores very frequently developed at the site of the pinpricks.)
3. Straight bottom teeth allow for more precise tonguing, articulation and tone production.
It is a big sacrifice to stop playing for a year and a half so that you can enjoy the blissful experience of braces. However once it is all over, you will find that aspects of your embouchure that required so much effort now become easy.
Ron Jr.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-05-26 15:05
Quote:
As for the overbite, since you can move your jaw forwards and backwards I don't see how this is an issue. The only thing with ME is that even pulling my bottom jaw as far back as possible, my bottom teeth are still farther in front than my upper teeth. So it looks a little funny because in order to compensate my clarinet sticks out a few extra degrees than your average player. That and a slightly longer curve on the mouthpiece helps out.
Ron Jr. is right BTW. It may not be the OPTIMAL situation for a year and a half, but the end result is worth it. And rest assured, you'll adjust and find a quick way to get a good tone after the braces are off. And you'll STILL be able to play with them on.
You might also want to talk to your dentist about this and explain to him/her how you will be needing to tuck your teeth under your bottom lip and maybe find some possibly solutions to protect your bottom lip. Maybe that person can help construct some sort of guard or offer suggestions.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: RAMman
Date: 2004-05-26 17:12
Personally I don't have a problem,
So long as you secure them to your trousers properly, and make sure they're not under too much tension, they shouldn't affect your clarinet playing!
Sorry, dry English wit, I do apologise. Ooops, just realised, translation required....trousers = pants!
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Author: chumbucket804
Date: 2004-06-04 03:21
i got braces two years ago (4th year playing clarinet) and mine actually helped me a little. it takes some getting used to with the lower lip going over your teeth but other than that its ok.
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