Band Students and Braces

Straight Answers About Teeth Troubles

Congratulations! You are a tween/teenager and finally old enough to join the beginning band at school!

D’oh! You are also at the age where we like to address teeth alignment issues, and an orthodontist has recommended you get braces.

One thing we know for sure … playing a wind instrument when you have braces is rough.

What exactly do braces do to a wind player? They change the embouchure (the way in which a player applies the mouth to the mouthpiece of a brass or wind instrument) because the mouth has to deal with extra hardware inside. This mouth adjustment mostly takes place between the teeth and lips, but depending on the orthodontia, can also add to the space between the tongue and roof of mouth (spacers) or affect the space between the top and bottom teeth (rubber bands).

Even custom form-fitting clear aligners require cement dots that act like anchors or handles so they grip the teeth to hold the braces in place properly. Read on to learn our best tips, tricks, and advice to survive the temporary state of being a music student with braces.

Open Up and Say AHHHHH …

Once you learn that braces are in your future, it’s important to let your band and private teacher know. As private instructors we are ready to modify our schedule to meet students where they are on this journey.

After the braces are applied, we anticipate one to two weeks of a student taking time off to get used to the new sensations. Putting their mouthpieces up to their sore embouchures, having to bite down on a mouthpiece, or even tolerating the vibrations instruments create within their skulls can require an adjustment period.

Students really don’t want to play during this time. That means not only are they not going to be attending their lessons, but they are also likely not going to be practicing either. And that is OKAY! We want them to take a beat to heal so when they do pick their instruments back up, they aren’t dealing with pain on top of the frustration of sounding a bit different.

We recommend that before you return to band and lessons, you make sure you make noise through your instrument to double check that you don’t have pain. That way you don’t show up and discover you cannot make a sound.

Even if you can’t make a sound, or at least produce a very good sound, as long as you’re not experiencing severe discomfort or pain, you should definitely come to class. Be sure to let us know what you are noticing so that we can help with the next steps.

More Than a Mouthful

Most orthodontists will send you home with a kit of things to try to help with your new reality. Our experience is mostly with metal or clear bracket and wire style braces. Even though Alicia’s orthodontist recently informed her that they are able to recommend form-fitting, clear aligners to the majority of braces candidates these days, parents/patients are still opting for the bracket and wire style despite those braces being more costly than the form-fitting clear aligners today.

With that in mind, we will not be too focused on form-fitting clear aligners in this post. The kits for bracket and wire braces usually include threader floss and other tools for removing food from in-between areas. You’ll also probably receive wax to put over any pokey areas like corners of brackets or hooks that will be used for rubber bands later.

The wax can be a mixed bag for wind musicians. The biggest issue Alicia encountered with the flute was that it only added more distance between the flute’s tone hole and her embouchure.

Luckily, another professional flute player introduced her to Plumber’s Tape. This is the non-sticky, white tape you’ll find in a hardware store. It comes on a spindle roll and is usually used to seal threads on pipes that get screwed together in plumbing projects.

Even if you have a roll floating around your house someplace, we urge you to purchase a new roll dedicated exclusively to your braces-wearing music student. We want to make sure it’s clean and not contaminated or past its prime. Don’t worry, it’s cheap.

Use the Right Tool for the Job

To use Plumber’s Tape, tear off a strip as long as your front four teeth. Lay it over your teeth and wrap it over your braces to protect your lips from the brace’s edges. This is really useful for flute and brass players who put their instrument’s mouthpieces up to their lips and then push it against their teeth.

Wax is a better option for brackets with hooks that are in weird spots. These specialized brackets with hooks are intended for rubber band use in later stages of orthodontic treatment. Their location is unique for each person.

In Alicia’s experience, there was one on the upper left side near the front that would catch the skin behind and high in her upper lip and cut into it. The Plumber’s Tape was not sufficient to protect this area, so she would use a small piece of wax and create a ball to poke over the hook. This was more bulky than desired, but at least the stabbing stopped.

Your Changing Face

One of the coolest things about braces is how quickly things can move in the early stages of the adventure. Once your teeth begin to look straight to you, there is usually still a very long way to go in the process.

At regular ortho appointments they will remove the wire, adjust its shape, and then put it back on with new colorful ties or a chain. Wires upgrade in gauge a couple of times before the braces come off. Sometimes these appointments don’t cause much discomfort. They are mostly “weird” in sensation. But there are other times when they will cause some discomfort or painful sensations. They’re just not usually as bad as when the braces initially went on.

This is especially true if your orthodontist is upgrading the gauge of the wire to a thicker one or when using a chain to hold the wire on. When this takes place, it’s okay to take a day or two off from practice again until the feelings settle down. Please be sure to let your band teacher and private teacher know if this is the case. It’s common to reschedule or even take a week off when playing with braces causes pain.

The same might be true if you have an orthodontic emergency. No matter how well you care for your braces, things happen. The wire might pop off the bracket, or a bracket might pop off of your tooth and just swing out there irritatingly.

While orthodontists are usually able to slip you in between appointments quickly to fix the issue, there will be times when you have to grin and bear it for a day or two until they can fit you into their schedule. If this happens and the issue is impacting your ability to play your instrument, don’t worry about it. Just make sure your teachers know. We understand.

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

The length of time you’ll have your braces is unique for every individual. For Alicia, it was a little more than two years. Other students might have braces on and off at different stages of their childhood for four or more years total. Regardless, there will come a time when the orthodontic treatment is complete. After spending so much time working around your braces, the adjustment to having them off is effortless. No more Plumber’s Tape or wax.

Sometimes permanent retainers are placed behind teeth but have no effect on playing. And while you may have no trouble with a removable retainer, sometimes if they cause an issue, it’s fine to remove them for practice. Always remember to have a baggie in your instrument case so you have a clean place to store your non-permanent retainer during band class or your music lessons.

TL;DR Summary

Here’s our advice at a glance:

When your child gets braces:

• They can still play their wind instrument.
• Braces will not ruin their budding musical career.
• You can plan one to two weeks off of practice/lessons after the braces are first put on.
•  Also, some time off after appointment adjustments if there’s discomfort.
• Plumber’s Tape and wax are magic. (Scroll up to find out why.)
• Make sure to tell the band instructor and private music teacher about the orthodontia. They have tips!
• Pain will pass. Skills will return. We pinkie promise!

Interested in more information about this very common time in a music student’s life? Feel free to reach out! We’re here for you!