The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Beth S.
Date: 2000-06-02 15:51
I had my wisdom teeth (all 4) removed a week ago and am still experiencing pain when I try to play my clarinet. I was wondering if anyone out there who has had their wisdom teeth out could respond about how long it took them to get back in the swing of playing.
Thanks,
Beth
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mike
Date: 2000-06-02 16:27
When I had my wisdom teeth removed, the oral surgeon said I should not play for at least a week, the reason being that the back-pressure generated by the clarinet or sax could slow healing and lead to infection. You might want to check with the oral surgeon who performed the extraction.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: drew
Date: 2000-06-02 16:43
For me, it took 2-3 weeks for the wounds to heal to the point that playing was not painful. Full healing took about 6 weeks (extractions leave some deep and large wounds, wisdom teeth are not small).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Meri
Date: 2000-06-02 21:03
When I got mine removed, I was told not to play for at least 2 weeks, preferably 3. But since I got it done 3 weeks before I started university, it didn't really matter.It was farily challenging to get back into it after having it done, but I didn't lose much technique.
If you still feel like you need to "practice", you could work on solving the difficult rhythms in your music or finding good breathing spots.
Meri
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jim
Date: 2000-06-03 04:31
I had all four surgically extracted (3 were impacted) when I was 19 (Nixon was President then!) and I remember It took a week before I would consider putting anything harder than soup in my mouth. Resuming the clarinet took better than 3 weeks, and it was sore for several months. I had it done over semester break from college. Take it slowly, and good luck! (At least you can take comfort knowing that you will never have to do it again!)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Rob
Date: 2000-06-03 21:15
I must be very lucky. I had the last of my four out last summer, at age 40. I had them out one at a time because I figured I could recover from the trauma from one far more quickly than the trauma from all 4 at once. My sister did the extraction (she is a licensed practitioner) while my mother assisted (she manages my sister's practice)which was a bit bizarre because Mom kept telling her "You'd better not hurt my baby". The entire procedure took about 3 minutes, there was practically no blood, hardly any pain at all and no swelling to speak of (there was also no impaction) and the stitches came out about 3 days later. I was playing again in less than a week with no discomfort at all. I will tell you this though, trying to carry on a normal life while recovering from any physical trauma (like surgery)will only make recovery longer and more difficult. I had each of my extractions done while I was on vacation, which seems like a waste of a vacation, but I was glad I did because I recovered very quickly in a stress-free, work-free environment. People seem to forget that a dental extraction is surgery. Would you expect to recover from any other surgical procedure so quickly or easily?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2000-06-03 23:35
FYI only--A friend of mine played a gig the same night after having all four wisdom teeth extracted. I was not so tough--it took me about two weeks before I could begin to play again. All above advice is good--enjoy (for me, the proccedures were painless.....just had the shots, no ivs or anesteseologists). Good luck, and open wide!!!! :>)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Willie
Date: 2000-06-03 23:54
When my wife had her wisdoms pulled, the xrays showed the roots to be very deep. She was given special medications a week in advance and for after the tooth yanking, to prevent any coughing or sneezing. The Doc said that the only thing between her root cavities and the sinus cavities was a thin membrane. A good cough, sneeze or even playing a woodwind (he knew she played flute) could cause a "blow-out" and this would be very, very serious. So if your dentist says don;t blow, don't. He's the one who looked at the xrays.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Meredith H
Date: 2000-06-05 00:09
I had my top 2 wisdom teeth removed in the dentist's chair 3 years ago. The first one stapped off and he had to spend 10 minutes trying to dig the root out. The second one popped out in less than a minute. Needless to say the recovery time was very different for both sides of my mouth. The one which snapped off took months to recover (all I could eat was soup for 2 weeks and I didn't lose a pound!) but the other was fine within 3 days. I think if both had have come out easily I would have been back to practice well within a week but thanks to the digging around in my gum I couldn't blow for 3 weeks. I was beginning to think I would never heal. Just do what the dentist says but if he/she offers no advice I would guess you'll be able to tell when you are healed well enough to return to practice. I wouldn't rush things though, it is better to be a little cautious.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Sarah
Date: 2000-06-05 15:19
I had my wisdom teeth removed and didn't pick up my clarinet for probably more than 2 weeks.
I'm sure your doctor would agree that playing clarinet this soon could cause dry socket--that
happens when the holes where your teeth were don't heal correctly--it's very painful. You may
want to check with your doctor.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Michelle S
Date: 2000-06-05 17:17
Before my daughter was born, I was a dental assistant for both an oral surgeon and an orthodontist. The main reason not to blow on your horn (or suck from a straw) is that if you loosen the blood clots that have formed in the tooth socket, the bone will be exposed to the air, which will hurt (dry socket)! If you're feeling any pain, stop playing and let your jaws heal. The last thing you want to do is to rip open stitiches, loosen blood clots, or cause undo pressure on the extraction sites. The roots of upper wisdom teeth are right under the sinus cavities, so you don't want to cause your sinuses any damage. Be patient; you'll be tooting your own horn soon!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: emmaebhs
Date: 2023-08-17 03:41
I will be getting mine out either August 31 or September 1 but have all state September 21 auditions any tips
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: kdk
Date: 2023-08-17 04:24
emmaebhs wrote:
> I will be getting mine out either August 31 or September 1 but
> have all state September 21 auditions any tips
Practice carefully for details right up to the day before surgery, then follow your oral surgeon's instructions, letting him know that you have an audition in three weeks. I had two removed a couple of years ago and was told to wait a week. I felt no pain when I resumed. You won't loose enough control in a week that you can't be ready for the audition on 9/21.
Of course, if the scheduling is elective with no urgency about having them removed immediately, maybe there would be a better time in the next few months to do it.
Karl
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Slowoldman
Date: 2023-08-17 05:20
I agree with Karl's advice, as well as the older post by Michelle S. I was in rehearsal for a show earlier this year, when I had to have a wisdom tooth extracted urgently.
When I told the oral surgeon that I play a wind instrument, without hesitation he stated "2 weeks", for the same reasons that Michelle stated.
OK, I cheated because "sitzprobe" was in 12 days, but I didn't play until then and everything healed well in the end.
From what I hear, you really, really don't want to get "dry socket".
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tom H
Date: 2023-08-22 08:44
I suppose it was 1-3 weeks. It was 1973....I think.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Max S-D
Date: 2023-08-25 22:43
I had my wisdom teeth out the summer before I started college and, impatient 18 year old that I was, I did not wait long enough to start playing again and ended up drawing out the healing process to over a month.
You've got 3 weeks, I would expect that to be enough to heal and get a few days of playing in before the auditions IF you follow the oral surgeon's recommendations to the letter for the first couple of weeks.
Don't be like me!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clarineat
Date: 2023-10-04 20:50
I mean... you have to heal?
Ignore this board and ask your doctor/surgeon.
I waited at least 4 weeks to play after my impacted wisdom tooth removal back in about 2002. I would definitely think 1 week you risk a blown socket.
Take some time off, it is warranted.
Sean Perrin
Host of the Clarineat Podcast
Listen FREE at www.clarineat.com
hello@clarineat.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2023-10-10 22:11
I had my wisdom teeth out along with a nasty cyst about a year ago. I was in PAIN for a long while, but I figured I had to get playing, so about a week later I started playing contrabass only, then worked my way up the resistance levels. In about a month I could stomach playing them all
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: moma4faith
Date: 2023-10-17 00:19
Author: emmaebhs
Date: 2023-08-17 03:41
"I will be getting mine out either August 31 or September 1 but have all state September 21 auditions any tips"
Though this date has passed, I would have rescheduled the dentist appointment until after all state auditions.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
|