Wisdom Teeth

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

I just got my wisdom teeth pulled, and my surgeon said five days should be enough time to wait before getting back on the tuba. Does anyone else have experience with this? Does that sound like too little time? I did bring my mouthpiece into the surgeon's and show him what I was doing, but he didn't seem to know too much about brass playing. I have a huge audition coming up for an orchestra, and a dry socket would be most unwelcome.

[bort]

It was more like 2 or 3 weeks for me. I think my follow-up to check/remove the stitches was after 1 week, and then another 1 week to heal more. I think when you can eat and talk normally, you should be able to handle playing. Just start slow, and if it hurts or feels weird even the smallest bit, stop immediately. If you push it, you'll screw up the healing process and you'll just have to wait even longer.

[roughrider]

Speaking from experience, 5 days is a very optimistic outlook for this kind of oral surgery. I had one impacted and collapsing wisdom tooth removed this past spring. It took one month of absolutely no playing before I was ready to return to face time with the horn. The advice you have been given is excellent. Let this work heal properly and take it easy. If you start playing again before you are ready you may cause more damage, such as blown out stitches, etc. Then you'll have a real mess on your hands, i.e "literally". Best of luck.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

I just don't know how I will know when and if I'm ready. And I need to prepare, prepare, prepare for this audition.

[tofu]

Did all 4 @ same time & back playing in 2 days - did a concert a week later. Mine weren't impacted though which probably makes a difference on recovery time.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

In all honesty, if you lose your edge in a week you need to look at another career field. That is your head talking. Take care of your face or you might hurt yourself. You will not die if you take off a few days, and if you wait for a day or two you can buzz your mouthpiece.

Your dedication is admirable, but misplaced. Get your teeth fixed. Worry about tuba after that and do what your doctor tells you to do. You will not suddenly and mysteriously forget how to play your excerpts. If you do, like I said, you need to look into other sources for potential income.

Your response actually gave me a little reality check. You're correct, of course. I just have to take it easy.

[iiipopes]

In all honesty, if you lose your edge in a week you need to look at another career field. That is your head talking. Take care of your face or you might hurt yourself. You will not die if you take off a few days, and if you wait for a day or two you can buzz your mouthpiece.

Your dedication is admirable, but misplaced. Get your teeth fixed. Worry about tuba after that and do what your doctor tells you to do. You will not suddenly and mysteriously forget how to play your excerpts. If you do, like I said, you need to look into other sources for potential income.

Indeed. Wait on healing. Stay in contact with your doctor. By waiting, I found I played better after the extractions. At the point your doctor clears you to play again, start slowly with just the mouthpiece. If you feel discomfort, or, yes, I'll be blunt: if there is any blood in the mouthpiece, then give it a few more days. At the point you can buzz easily and freely, then progress back to the horn.

[Sandlapper]

When I had oral surgery, the dentist insisted on two weeks, but I had a different procedure, tooth removed and implant put in. Ditto iiipopes recommendation. You won't do yourself any favors if you cause injury to the extraction site.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

I played today for five hours of rehearsal, and nothing happened. Feels a bit strange, but I sound good, and that's the only thing that counts. I had no bleeding at all.

[tokuno]

My dental history is littered with 4 implants, and lots of extractions, root canals, etc., performed by different surgeons over the years, and the common concern from all of them was infection.
Even allowing for the low pressure ("trust me, it's not a trumpet!") and a promise to go easy, I was sternly warned to not tempt fate, and leave the horns alone for a period (usually a full week), lest I blow something nasty through the stitches and into the wound.

[iiipopes]

I played today for five hours of rehearsal, and nothing happened. Feels a bit strange, but I sound good, and that's the only thing that counts. I had no bleeding at all.

You seem to have healed quickly; at least more quickly than average. Congrats.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

The teeth pulling actually already happened.