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Young musicians are wired for sound
14th Jan 2008
Hitting the right note with braces
Teenage musicians who play wind or brass instruments and wear braces are being offered tips on how to tackle the problems their dental treatment may cause.
The British Orthodontic Society (BOS) has put together the advice for teenage patients who play mouth-blown instruments.
The list of tips can be found on the BOS website and includes general advice such as the options for removable instead of fixed braces, avoiding having braces fitted before taking important music exams or going for auditions, and simply letting orthodontists know that they do play an instrument before treatment begins.
Specific advice for musicians wearing removable braces suggests that the patient asks orthodontists if braces can be removed whilst playing: patients leaving a brace out for long periods of time will obviously influence the success of the treatment.
And specific advice for musicians wearing fixed braces includes the fact that brass instrument-players may have problems playing high notes when the brace is first fitted.
The BOS guidelines also suggests that if some players find that the inside of their lips becoming sore, they can request that the instrument's mouthpiece be changed for a larger one to spread the load more.
The guidance can be found on the BOS website at www.bos.org.uk/orthodonticsandyou/orthodonticsforschools/adviceformusicians.htm
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