Play Musical Instruments Well with Braces

Many orthodontic patients are fortunate enough to be musically talented–we are here to answer any questions you might have if you are concerned about how to wear bracing could affect your ability to play a wind instrument.

You may find first of all that your brace affects your wind instrument’s ability to play. But you should soon hit these high notes with practice and motivation!

Before Fitting Braces

Find out what type of lingual brace you need and talk with your team from Orthodontic Arts about the instrument you play before starting orthodontic treatment. Try to arrange this in a period when you are not planning significant performances if you have a new brace fitted.

Playing a Woodwind Instrument

Saxophone and clarinet players set lingual braces more easily because they don’t directly contact the mouthpiece in a teeth area that has been applied by the braces. The same applies to those who play two-rod instruments such as oboe and bassoon.

Flute players with high pressure on the lip plate may feel a certain level of discomfort and may want their breath to be strengthened and the pressure on their lower lip to decrease.

All woodwind players may have more condensation in their instruments, which must be cleaned more often.

Brass Players

Sadly, it can be a little more challenging for brass players to get used to playing braces simply because they have lips pushed between a metal mouthpiece and their teeth with braces on it.

Smaller mouthpieces are found in both trumpets and French horns, so the braces are hard to adjust. Like flute players, trumpet players and French horn players, the pressure can be reduced by increasing airflow and keeping their mouths tight. Brass tools including tuba and baritone need less mouth pressure, making it easier to play the braces.

Surprisingly, when your braces are removed, it may require brass players to adjust for a bit because their teeth are flat rather than rough.

Functional Braces

During play your wind instrument, you can take functional and removable braces out of your mouth. It is an excellent idea to make your orthodontist know how many hours you practice every day, as it can affect your treatment if you leave your brace for long periods of time.

Fixed Braces

Therapy with fixed braces may affect your ability to play a wind instrument, but it is very unlikely that you will be able to wear it for more than a few months.

Contact Orthodontic Arts for lingual braces if crooked teeth or orofacial issues do not let you play musical instruments.

**Disclaimer: The above post is not intended to be medical advice or create a relationship between doctor and patient.