 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Lisa
Date: 2015-01-27 23:13
I have receding gums on my bottom, front teeth, and I'll be having gum grafting surgery next month. I also had the same thing when I was quite young, before I played clarinet.
My periodontist advised that I'd be unable to play clarinet for six weeks in order for the skin graft to take. I'm good at following doctors' orders so that's fine with me, although I anticipate getting back into shape will definitely be a challenge.
Have any of you had gum grafting surgery, specifically on the bottom front, and how did it affect your future clarinet playing, if at all?
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Author: Wes
Date: 2015-01-28 01:10
About 15 years ago, I had complete mouth peridontal surgery, exposing and scraping all my gum of infections. It all feels great now, and I believe it extends life perhaps ten years by minimizing infections in internal organs.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2015-01-28 02:02
Never heard of it but have implants in lower jaw. I'd get another professional opinion.
Bob Draznik
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2015-01-28 02:13
Is your periodontist using the pinhole gum technique? I've read great things about it and recovery is supposed to be short, but I don't have personal experience with it.
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Author: Lisa
Date: 2015-01-28 02:51
I hadn't heard of the pinhole technique before, and just learned about it through a Google search. It looks fascinating, and rather painless! My own procedure is a true skin graft, where the periodontist takes tissue from elsewhere in the mouth and actually stitches it to cover the exposed roots. He advised having the procedure on a Friday in order to have a weekend of recovery before going back to work.
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Author: Claudia Zornow
Date: 2015-01-28 03:23
I had gingival flap surgery in 2008. This involved cutting and stitching but no grafting. I started playing again 11 days after the surgery. My playing wasn't affected as far as I can tell, but my surgery didn't involve the bottom front teeth, so this doesn't actually answer your question, sorry. (Just adding my experience for the search archives.)
Claudia from Cupertino
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Author: j8649
Date: 2015-01-28 05:34
Hi Lisa,
A gum graft involves taking tissue from one area of the mouth and transplanting it to the front of the lower teeth. Some doctors take the tissue from the roof of your mouth in the back molar area, and some doctors take tissue from the area where the cheek meets the back teeth bone. Patients typically experience some soreness in the area where the graft is taken from. Usually more soreness is experienced when the graft is taken from the roof of the mouth than from the cheek area. The new graft is sutured to the root area of you bottom teeth, and it will take several weeks to heal. During this healing period, you don't want to do anything that might dislodge the graft. When you play the clarinet, you build up air pressure in your mouth, and you potentially could force air underneath the graft before it has attached and dislodge it. When this happens, the graft tissue dies, and you have to repeat the procedure. It is no fun to sit out for six weeks without playing, but the alternative is no grafting which could lead to loss of your bottom front teeth. Loss of your bottom teeth will affect your clarinet playing. However, once your gum graft has healed, your clarinet playing should not be affected. Good luck!
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Author: sdclarinet
Date: 2015-01-28 08:15
I actually had this procedure done in December '14 with the graft taken from the roof of my mouth and placed over my two front teeth on the bottom. My periodontist knew I played clarinet and told me not to play at all until my second follow up two 1/2 weeks after the surgery. (Trust me I didn't feel much like playing during that time anyway not in too much pain but eating just feels really weird). I then started SLOWLY playing only 15 or less a day for the first two weeks after the packing was removed. I made sure to only play a little bit and take lots of breaks. After I felt like my graft site from the roof of my mouth was healed (at about 4 weeks) I resumed playing as normal. I haven't noticed any change in my endurance or embouchure since then. I do have to say that my dentist said my graft looked "better than most." You should always follow the advice of your own doctor who knows you and knows the procedure and technique which is unique to his/her own practice. I agree with j8649 that 6 weeks might suck but the grafting shouldn't stop you from having a long career playing clarinet. Good Luck!
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Author: Lisa
Date: 2015-01-29 06:50
Thank you guys for sharing information and your personal experience. Sdclarinet, it's so good to hear from you firsthand!! I do have a follow-up appointment 2 weeks post-op, then again at 6 weeks. I'm to bring my mouthpiece setup to this second appointment, and won't resume playing as early as you were able to do. Good to hear your advice about resuming your playing slowly. I also double on flute, and am now curious to know if my periodontist might allow me to resume playing flute in short sessions, sooner than resuming to play clarinet. Never hurts to ask!
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Author: Christopher Bush
Date: 2015-01-29 08:31
I'm another clarinetist who survived a gum graft in the same areas. Tissue was removed from the top of my mouth and grafted to the lower front, just left of center. It was not the most wonderful feeling in the world, but I did feel much better afterward than the pain I experienced before the procedure.
I was between semesters at conservatory and was able to take a few weeks off. I definitely didn't feel like playing while the stitches were still there. It ended up being a lovely little respite from the daily grind. I got to watch a ton of movies and read some books.
Overall, there were no ill effects. It did, however, inspire me to rethink the efficiency and effectiveness of my embouchure.
I hope this is somewhat comforting.
Christopher Bush
Prof. of Clarinet - NYU
Princ. Clarinet - Glens Falls Symphony, Metro Chamber Orchestra
Director - NYU Composers Ensemble
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Author: Lisa
Date: 2015-01-30 05:52
Great story - many thanks! I'm so glad to hear from others who've had the same kind of procedure that I'll be having next month.
Cheers,
-Lisa
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