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 Playing with false teeth
Author: Roger the other one 
Date:   2002-10-06 07:26

What are the possible problems with playing with false teeth? I ain't got em yet, but if I play long enough the time may come.I done a search so don't pick on me.

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: David L Morris 
Date:   2002-10-06 08:13

Roger
I have been playing Bb for 15 years with out a problem and bass for four years with only one problem. sometimes playing FFFF you will get air under the upper plate and it will fall and your sound stops. I wouldn't worry about it if you want to keep playing you will adjust to them
Have a Good Day
Dave

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: Roger the other one 
Date:   2002-10-06 11:00

The bottom concerns me more ---- my Father (very old) has a lot of trouble with them due to the gum ridge becoming almost non existent over time and his bottom set slip forward --- dental Tec. can't help much. David, any problems with the bottom?

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: Bob 
Date:   2002-10-06 13:45

Roger: I play with "uppers" and only problem is I can't use as stiff a reed as in the old days. "We" are working diligently at saving the "bottoms" because even if you don't play clarinet bottom dentures represent bigger problems than uppers. Would encourage you to do every thing you can to preserve bottom teeth..or at least enough to anchor some bridges. Just now I have my fingers crossed with one bridge anchor tooth. This is probably more than most boarders wanted to know about the subject...

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: Terry Horlick 
Date:   2002-10-06 14:49

Years ago it used to be thought that tooth loss was inevitable. Now we know better. If you don't want to loose all your teeth and have to rely on dentures then you need to visit your dentist and periodontist <b>now</b>. The major reason for tooth loss is periodontal disease. The prevention of that disease is adequate hygiene. If the disease has already started then meticulous care and treatment supervised by the periodontist may stop it's progression. Today, in some cases, bone lost to the disease can be reclaimed.

If teeth are already loose, due to periodontal disease, making it difficult to play, the dentist can splint them together in some cases. If bone loss is too far advanced and the teeth have to go then there is the option of tooth implants. Implants require meticulous hygiene to survive, but will function magnificently for tooting a clarinet.

If you are having problems retaining a denture while playing then your dentist can reline it for better retention. Also implants can be considered to give you normal feeling teeth or dentures can be anchored to implants for a very secure fit.

In short the options open to you are legion compared to those available just 30 years ago.

The fellow who sits next to me in orchestra just had all his teeth removed a year ago and had dentures fit. He chose not to avail himself of any of the above options. He had some pain in trying to play. He sat out of orchestra one semester. The he spent half of a semester playing only part of the rehersals due to discomfort. Now he doesn't give his "teeth" a thought and plays just as well as he did before. Indeed, most denture wearers will tell you of progressive bone loss under a denture causing them to loose their good fit. This is a problem which is most pronounced in the lower teeth. Relines can cure the problem but eventually enough bone may be lost to prevent this from working. Then implants are about the only good option because playing with floppy, loose dentures is like trying to play with marbles in your mouth.

In this, as in many other facets of health, a little prevention will go a long way. If you don't want to loose your teeth years from now you don't have to. Now is the time to act on good home care and prevention.

TH, a clarinet playing dentist.

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: David L Morris 
Date:   2002-10-06 16:56

Roger
The lowers i have no problem with at all. I had my dentures befor returning to playing clarinet.
i did have a lot of trouble getting used to the dentures them selves in the begining. so getting used to the clarinet and detures would be rough. If your having trouble with sornes of the gums when you play get to your dentist and have the fit checked. But better yet as the clarinet playing dentist put it "Now is the time to act on good home care and prevention."
Have a Good Day
Dave

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: Baz 
Date:   2002-10-06 18:13

I did not play for about twenty years, and when I came back to the clarinet at age 40, I had a full top set and a partial bottom set, I had been taught to play with the double emboucher, when I got my clarinet out of its case (yes, I had kept it all those years!) as soon as I tried to play it my top set flopped forward, what a disaster, I at once tried single emboucher and the teeth stayed in place the slope of the mouthpiece pushed them back, I have had two teeth out this year this leaves me with only three left, on the bottom, perhaps I am lucky with mine, I have heard of people having real problems, I have been playing with false teeth since 1980.

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: Neil 
Date:   2002-10-07 05:12

My dad had lost all of his teeth but never got dentures. He had a dentist build up the upper side of his mouthpiece (crystal) with denture material and that seemed to work for him.

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: Chris Hughes 
Date:   2002-10-07 06:54

It happened to me, and I quit the music business as a result.

However, a UK jazz player showed me the top set he had designed, along with a dental technician, which solved a lot of the problems. Behind the front teeth there was a platform running fore and aft - this rested on the mouthpiece and stopped the 'hinging' action which dislodges the top plate from the palate. Mind you, I don;t think he used that set for eating . . .

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: diz 
Date:   2002-10-10 06:28

bugger!!

when I get old and my teeth all fall out I'll take up playing the tambourine.

You old geezers have to be admired for your insight, humour (pardon my Aussie spelling) and general, pleasant dispositions.

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: Bob 
Date:   2002-10-10 22:23

"Old geezers never die, they just lose their embouchure"

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 RE: Playing with false teeth
Author: Madame 
Date:   2016-12-20 05:15

Actually, I just got uppers last year and have been having a HECK of a time not having air pop my toppers out so it's far less than I'd like to know :) I've yet to find an adhesive that sticks to both my skin AND the dentures. Any suggestions appreciated. Just took a school job and will have to rehone my woodwind skills, but it would help if my teeth would stay put!

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 Re: Playing with false teeth
Author: Barry Vincent 
Date:   2016-12-20 11:41

I've got myself covered. I have full top and bottom dentures and so far there's no problem playing Flute, Oboe, Clarinet and Recorder. I'm now almost 72 years old and there's going to be problems in the future sooner rather than later. But I'll still be able to play my beloved Recorders (Alto / Descant) NO embouchure required.

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 Re: Playing with false teeth
Author: KSCop 
Date:   2016-12-21 08:24

I've had full dentures for the past 20 years. I actually find it easier to play without them, double lip, on both clarinet and sax.

Wearing them I tend to bite, but I'm sure that is just a practice issue.

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