TubeNet

Ok... so I've noticed over the past couple years that my teeth, especially my lower front teeth, have been shifting. I was one of those lucky kids who never had a problem at the dentist office. Anyway, the reason that I'm bringing this up on the tubenet is because during this same period of time I've also been practicing and playing more that in previous years. Are these things related? I know most of you are probably thinking about mouthpiece pressure, but I very rarely see any form of a mouthpiece ring around my mouth so I'm not sure if it's a variable or not.
Please let me know your opinions, I'd hate to think that I'd have to get braces at 24.
Jim

As one who sadly has spent much time in the dental office due to bad genes and other factors, My dentist Dr. George Pacal says,
"The mouth is dynamic, ever changing".
It most likely has nothing to do wih tubas. It has to do with the hourglass of time.

rascaljim,
If your teeth are moving around,you have some decisions to make.I was a pressure player on trumpet and first lost four teeth upper and four teeth lower.Later,I lost all of them and sang with dentures.I tried two jaw implants to stabilize my lower plate and found I could play tuba with few problems and even a tad of trumpet.
I would like to see you get a detailed analysis of your options before you get as bad as I was.Apparently you are playing enough to exacerbate the problem.These things rarely get better on thier own.Dental technology has gotten so good that a increasing number of dental techs have worked themselves out of a job.I hope you find a good plan to deal with this effectively.There is expertise around that can really help and I pray you find it.
tubatooter1940

I was playing a lot of difficult literature pretty young, it it had a major effect on my teeth. I now have an underbite because I pushed my jaw forward for higher tones when I was in Jr. High school. The only teeth in my mouth that actually touch are my front teeth. The molars do not touch at all. It doesn't give me any problems, but if I'm ever punched in the mouth I can just forget about it.

At 30 years old, being a player of many different wind instruments, a smoker, and not the most reliable brusher who has never flossed, I have been blessed with fantastic teeth. I have never had a cavity and have the gums of a teenager, according to my dentist in Santa Monica.

I have never been into candy and am not super fond of sweets. That may have something to do with it. I feel that it is a genetic blessing, having direct links to Judah on my mother's side and Josef on my father's. It also may be that there is a conspiracy amongst dentists, and too much care of ones teeth leads to decay. Who knows?

Either way, a brass instrument does effect your bite and the placement of your teeth. It also effects the size of the tongue and the muscles in the mouth.

Chicks can dig it.

Have you had your wisdom teeth out? If so, how long ago?

I experienced a lot of shifting in my lower front teeth in the first couple years after getting my wisdom teeth out. The wisdom teeth (3rd molars) on bottom had been so impacted they were starting to turn downward. That had resulted in a lot of crowding in front. Once that forward push was deleted by removing the teeth, the others started to settle back. I wound up having a permanent retainer installed on those lower front teeth, anchored at the incisors. Without it, playing for a couple hours meant my teeth would be loose. After a couple years, I had it taken off and things have been fine since. And I was never really a pressure player.

I suggest you visit an orthodontist for an evaluation. Better braces than lost teeth. But you may not need braces. Has anyone ever told you whether you grind your teeth when you sleep?

Especially if you think you play without excessive pressure, a few variables could be at play, and the best solution is to seek professional evaluation.

Mitch "my wife is a pediatric dentist with orthodontic training" Williams

MellowSmokeMan wrote:It also effects the size of the tongue and the muscles in the mouth. Chicks can dig it.

EEEWWWW. This is the first thing written that has made me exceptionally glad I did not play brass as a kid. While playing violin did result in a permanent dent in my jawbone on the left side, I'm glad my muscular development has been at a later age.

MA

At age 24 your wisdom teeth are probably erupting and that can cause all your other teeth to crowd together at the front.....see your dentist and find out if this is occurring, at which point you may want to have the lil suckers out.
MA

As far as wisdom teeth and age are concerned, I had one taken out at age 53 amd had now problems. The rest are still in there, and that is where they will remain (hopefully).

See, that's another funny thing... I had all my wisdom teeth yanked I think about two and a half years ago. And the shifting has been more recent than the absence of the wisdom teeth. I have had a dentist mention the possibility of braces, but I am rather concerned on how it would affect my playing. I'm not in highschool anymore and can't really afford dealing with a major change with all the upcoming auditions.
Thanks for the advice... maybe I'll go check out this invisialign thing.
Jim

Rascaljim-

Just be forewarned that Invisalign is considerably more than conventional braces; you'll pay, on average, 45-65% more for Invisalign versus what bands and wires would cost to do the same work. You might want to ask about a removable retainer that you could wear during playing and away from playing to help stabilize. It is not uncommon for teeth to settle for the first couple/few years after the removal of wisdom teeth, especially depending on degree of impaction (if present), size of mandible vs. size of teeth, etc.

Both my sons are euph players and have been in and out of braces. Our orthodondist has noticed that their mouths have "slipped" because of their brass playing. He has witnessed this with other brass players -especially trumpet players. Perhaps an occupational hazard? There's not much that he says they can do except to wear their retainers at night and if their mouths regress too far, to reinstall braces. Hopefully at their own expense the next time!