 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2025-09-20 17:51
I have just been to the dentist who X-rayed my top front teeth and said that they are on their way out (it's actually a bridge). She said not to bite on them and treat them as though they were there for aesthetic purposes only! At first I thought that I should just not bite on apples, but on taking my clarinet out this morning, I suddenly thought I might have a problem with my embouchure.
As far as I know, I don't 'bite' as such, but of course exert pressure on the mouthpiece. What do members think? Should I switch to oboe? Should I try to play double lip?
Any thoughts?
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Author: kdk
Date: 2025-09-20 18:08
Maruja wrote:
> I have just been to the dentist who X-rayed my top front teeth
> and said that they are on their way out (it's actually a
> bridge).
I don't understand this - are the teeth you're talking about replacement teeth anchored to the ones next to them on either side to form the bridge (or at least my understanding of a bridge)?
Karl
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2025-09-20 20:39
Exactly. A bridge of two false teeth in between two real ones.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2025-09-20 21:05
There may be a way to make sure you are using a technique that is as LIGHT as possible and combine that with playing with what pressure is involved going straight up and down (looking down/holding clarinet more straight out). But that's a "dodgy" proposition.
The way out of this is..........of course to do implants. I had one done and that was quite expensive. One may function as a stronger anchor for a bridge to ONE false tooth.......or you can "bite the bullet," take out a second mortgage and get two implants. They look cool on subsequent dental x-rays.
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2025-09-20 22:13
Unfortunately, I have osteoporosis, so have been warned against implants. I was thinking about playing double lip....
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Author: kdk
Date: 2025-09-20 22:27
Maruja wrote:
> Unfortunately, I have osteoporosis, so have been warned against
> implants. I was thinking about playing double lip....
I don't know if double lip will take much pressure off those two teeth. It does discourage you from biting hard, but there's still going to be pressure unless you completely change your approach and learn to press on the mouthpiece with your upper lip and not with your teeth. You can do this single lip as well (i.e. without folding the lip over your top teeth - just snugging the lip up against the teeth and pressing the lip down).
Is there not a possibility of rebuilding the bridge? It would involve removing the crowns that are holding the bridge to the two anchors on either side, then making a new bridge with new false teeth and new crowns over the anchors. I have no idea if that's something that can be done from a practical standpoint.
I don't really understand, btw, what it means that the two false teeth "are on their way out." They aren't teeth, they're made of some kind of inorganic material (porcelain/titanium/acrylic?) that's not susceptible to decay. What's wrong with them?
Karl
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2025-09-20 23:12
Apparently the post has moved within the tooth and has created a small fissure. If I don't do anything, it might last for a long time - or it might not. I might have to have the whole caboodle removed and start again, but that means going to the dental hospital and is quite a procedure, so I don't want to do it if I don't have to.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-09-21 02:53
Could you be fitted with some sort of temporary teeth guard that fits over your bridge and anchors over and onto more of your side teeth for more stability to take the pressure away from the bridge whilst playing? Obviously something like that will feel cumbersome at first and take some time to get used to using.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2025-09-21 02:55)
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2025-09-21 05:40
Chris P.
That's a very interesting thought.
I kept thinking that using a patch on the MP but using your idea. I remember way back when, a friend had a notch put in top of the MP that the center teeth went into but then the next tooth on each side carried the load. He had some issues much like yours,
IMHO, a dentist could easily put an indentation (not too deep) in the mouthpiece. Dentists do some very creative things with a drill. Start with an old MP!
Your situation might be neat blurb for a dental BB.
HRL
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2025-09-21 05:46
Maruja,
Chris P hit the nail right on the head.
My left front tooth (an implant) simply cannot withstand the pressure of putting it on top of my mouthpiece (long story...).
So...I went to my local dentist and asked him to make me a tooth guard. This was around 3 years ago and it cost me $150.00.
Unfortunately, it was too snug and almost impossible to remove without using an extreme pulling force, so I cut off the unnecessary tooth sections on both ends and that helped quite a bit However, to further reduce the push on and removal force, I used an Exacto blade to trim the plastic where I felt too much pressure.
For me, it works like a charm. I never play without it.
Just my opinion...
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2025-09-21 06:30
Attachment: Tooth Guard.jpg (315k)
Maruja,
I thought about posting a picture of my tooth guard after writing the preceding post.
Here it is...
Good luck!
p.s. Notice the wide scrapes on the bottoms of my left and right front teeth. I made these to reduce or eliminate pressure on these teeth.
Post Edited (2025-09-21 06:42)
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2025-09-21 11:53
Many, many thanks for the mouth guard idea. I was literally going to put my clarinet away in a back drawer before I read this...
I actually have an old mouth guard which I have resurrected - I am not sure that it is robust enough to do the trick, but I shall go back to Despina the Dentist and she what she says.
My clarinet career has been rescued!
Thank you all
PS, Chris from Howarths - would an oboe give me the same problem?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-09-21 14:20
As oboes use a double lip embouchure, they shouldn't give you as much pressure on your front teeth, but there is more upward pressure against your top lip than your bottom lip. Reed strength will be a determining factor in how much pressure is exerted on your top lip.
Leon Goossens (an eminent oboist for most of the 20th century) was involved in a car accident where the impact with the metal horn rim on the steering wheel of his car damaged his top lip, but he relearnt to play oboe after surgery using very soft reeds as a result.
US-style long W scrape reeds are generally much softer than European short U scrape reeds, so it's a case of experimenting with which reed style works best.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2025-09-21 14:40
Thank you for that, Chris. I will explore the mouth guard solution before taking any other steps...
M
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-09-21 22:11
I knew a trumpet player who went to Hungary to have implants done for far less than it would've cost him in the UK. It didn't end well and he dropped down from playing lead trumpet to 3rd or 4th as he could no longer play as he once did with his proper teeth.
Maybe veneers would've been better for him in this application if it was just the aesthetics, provided they were done by a top notch dentist.
I have both a crown on one tooth and a veneer on the other (as well as root canal surgery) as I broke both my front teeth going over the handlebars of my bike when I was 12, with both teeth repaired with filler. I had the veneers done at 15 and then the crown done at 18.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2025-09-22 03:11
Marjua,
It breaks my heart to think you might feel the need to put the clarinet away for good.
Here's a clip of Sandor Benko
Notice the mouthpiece position. I just tried mimicking the position - and even going a little further to the side. I was surprised to find that I still sounded just like "me." It was natural to use a double-lip embouchure in this position. I didn't go into altissimo - because I seldom play altissimo, but clarion and chalumeau registers were great. For me, it would be an easy conversion.
Much probably depends on a person's individual physical characteristics and existing embouchure, so this might not work for you - but I thought I'd mention it - just in case.
Fuzzy
;^)>>>
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Author: hans
Date: 2025-09-22 21:33
Sandra,
Before giving up on the possibility of implants, it may be worth consulting an oral surgeon or periodontist with greater specific expertise and implant experience than a dentist, in case implants are required in the future. There is some research here that suggests that they could be successful in spite of osteoporosis:
https://biomedpharmajournal.org/vol10no3/dental-implants-in-patients-with-osteoporosis-a-review/
Best wishes,
Hans (who has 7 implants)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2025-09-22 23:37
I think the idea of a tooth guard would be a good solution. It could be wide enough to have the support coming from the teeth on the sides. I would definitely talk to a dental specialist about that.
I would encourage trying double lip. Depending on what you are currently using, you might change your set up to one that allows you to be as relaxed as possible. Work on using as little jaw pressure as possible. Try to use the strength of the lips all around to cradle the mouthpiece. Think of the embouchure as a fixed opening where it is the upward pressure from the thumb that is providing any support. That upward support of the thumb kind of "wedges" the mouthpiece in place. The good thing about double lip is that your top lip will be very aware of any biting. Even if you ultimately decide to play single, practicing double will train those muscles and develop the appropriate technique.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-09-23 00:19
On the side embouchure thing, I've seen and know some side embouchure clarinettists (and several I've seen on telly are professional orchestral clarinettists in UK orchestras), so if you can play with the mouthpiece offset to the right of your front two teeth, then definitely try that out.
If your canine teeth are prominent, you may have to adapt a mouthpiece patch or wear a guard to level things out between it and your outermost incisor and maybe a guard over your lower teeth if the lower canine digs into your lower lip.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2025-09-23 17:08)
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Author: Philip DeVries
Date: 2025-09-23 03:17
I have a related story.
My two front lower center incisors are baby teeth. There never were any adult teeth formed to replace them. (Positive side, I never had any wisdom teeth either!) So, my embouchure has been non-traditional all along, since those baby teeth mean that my front lower teeth produce a scooped platform for my lower lip and the reed. I've ignored a lot of standard advice and thinned the heart of my reeds for years.
Recently one of those baby teeth fell out, and the dentist is going to replace those two teeth with a bridge. The bridge will present a normal front lower tooth profile, and so probably I'll have a normal embouchure for the first time ever. I have a temporary plastic bridge right now, and 1) I also need to be gentle with it and 2) I am relearning a new embouchure. All of my old reeds are too soft now. They close up and they squeek. So, I'm busy not biting, and creating a new set of "good" reeds to match my new embouchure.
I will be performing (member of a concert band) in October, just 2 days after the permanent bridge is installed. Its like being in 6th grade again. Anything could happen. Wheee!
I've also known a side embouchure clarinetist, who was far more skilled than I am.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2025-09-25 02:30
if going to double lip-get a duck billed mpc -makes the transition so much easier.
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Author: David Eichler
Date: 2025-10-02 01:20
Double-lip would certainly ensure that you don't use excessive embouchure pressure, but it still puts a bit of pressure on the upper teeth. I suggest practicing playing with the mouthpiece to either side until you can get your teeth fixed or replaced. This is good practice even if you are not having problems with your front teeth, or when you are having other temporary problems with playing in the center, such as a lip irritation or cut.
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