 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: super20bu6
Date: 2012-05-08 11:03
I need advice...... Due to several circumstances including a car wreck and a lousy dentist as a child, I'm having to have some teeth extracted and a flipper partial installed. I'm worried about recovery time and when I can start playing again. The partial will include one of my front teeth (upper partial only). Can anyone tell me of their experiences as far as the partial installation and how long before you were playing again?? I'm primarily a Bass Clarinet/Contra Alto player.
When I had my wisdom teeth extracted on a Friday, I was back to playing on the following Tuesday so my recovery time (then) seemed pretty fast. I really do not want to miss any of the summer concerts with my community concert band.
Any input will be greatly appreciated.
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Author: mvjohnso
Date: 2012-05-08 17:26
You are at least fortunate that it is your top teeth rather than your bottom. I would be careful though about how quickly you go back to playing. As those teeth will vibrate a lot and that may cause some irritation (which is different than your wisdom teeth which you not only had removed (teeth vibrate more viciously than your gums will), but it was further away from the origin of sound; whereas, your front teeth are (at least in my case anchored directly to the clarinet vibrating with it. You may want to consider getting a nice thick mouthpiece cushion in order to stifle the vibration between the mouthpiece and reed. Or perhaps switching to double lip temporarily may be a course of action
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-05-08 19:53
I was mugged several years ago, lost a top front tooth and cracked the other three. I now have a permanent bridge. I started played even while while I had a temporary bridge and had no problems. It took a month or so to get used to the fact that the permanent bridge was a little thicker than the original teeth, but after that I didn't notice.
I have played a lot of bass and contra. On them I've always used double lip to keep my brains from being scrambled by the vibration. There was no before/after difference that I ever noticed.
Ken Shaw
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Author: super20bu6
Date: 2012-05-10 10:53
Unfortunately Ken, it's too late to switch to a double lip embouchure for me...my brains are already scrambled!!!!! lol
mvjohnso...thanks for the suggestion of a mouthpiece cushion...I've never tried one and hadn't thought about that...but WILL try that out.
I do appreciate hearing that someone had no problems returning to playing as I've heard others say I may never be able to play again. At least this partial will be based on an impression of my real teeth....so the thickness of the tooth may not be a big issue. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best....but still thinking of the other extreme.
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Author: Tony M
Date: 2012-05-10 12:30
I lost four front upper teeth last year. I asked a similar question as you to the forum and I was sympathetically reassured. Everything gets back to normal quite soon after you get used to your new mouth.
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2012-05-10 22:11
I lost some molars, and had them replaced with dental implants. I've been very happy with them.
Damn, that makes me sound old!
Chris
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Author: super20bu6
Date: 2012-08-06 11:05
Well, a few months later...and the dental work is done. mvjohnso, I DID take your advice about a mouthpiece cushion. I got those before the dental work was done to get used to playing on them over the summer. I've ended up putting the cushions on all of my clarinets and saxes.
While I originally thought (and was told) it would be a "flipper partial" that was to be installed......what I ended up with was much more substantial. I guess you'd call it a full partial. The dentist ended up doing a filling (rebuilt the tooth in a form) is a better description than what I used to consider as "a filling". To me, a "filling" was silver put in to fill a hole/cavity. This guy really did an excellent job rebuilding a tooth that was pretty much half gone. He did the last 2 extractions on a Tuesday...and when I went back for the follow up the following Thursday.....I was told that I could try to play that night. As before, I seem to have an extraordinarily fast healing time.
While the thought of never playing again was in my mind all summer....I won't have to face that right now. I can play...but need some more time to adjust my embouchure.
Should anyone hear of a colleague that is faced with a partial, if their work is similar to mine...they should be fine and able to play again.
Thanks again to those that assured me I could play again...it's just nice to hear myself play and to KNOW that I'll be fine.
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Author: vljenewein
Date: 2012-08-06 21:37
I've recently had all the top removed in March 8th, and received a temporary upper. Then in June 13th I had all my 6 lower teeth removed. It takes a while to heal, a few weeks, but you can play. I can ACTUALLY play with no lower teeth. I've done it. If I play with the lower plate in place I need to have good "FRESH" adhesive, like Fixodent, in place before starting.
So if I can play a clarinet with no lower teeth, and I am a rank beginner, you should be able to continue on quite soon.
Vernon
Jenewein Duduks Manufacturing & Research
www.duduk.us American made Duduks
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