msu_ggtrumpet

quick question. i am a college trumpet player and i want to get braces. do the metal braces set a player back as much as everyone says. if they do i dont want to get them. the dentist says that it is just a matter of getting used to them. but what does he know about playing trumpet.

butxifxnot

I've had friends with braces, and it depends on several things. Some people handle it better than others. I've had two friends just have them off, and they sound rather fine (considering), and they said that getting them off was harder than having them on. How long will you be having them?

trumpet blower88

When I got my braces on I had to buy a new mouthpiece, one that fit more comfortably. Now that they are off I feel perfectly comfortable with both the Bach C and Bach B mouthpieces... So thats something you might want to try. But really it didn't affect me too much, just cause a litle pain everyonce in a while, but just play though it... haha...

BigBadWolf

The fact that they are metal has little to do with the amount of damage that you WILL do to your playing. Braces are shifting your teeth, thereby changing your embouchure. If you are serious about your playing, consider other avenues.

trumpet blower88

Yeah, "other avenues", like "get used to smileing with your lips shut..."

Rgale

Be Afraid. Be very afraid.

I have been teaching trumpet for years. It affects some more than others, but you will probably have major adjustments to make. I would consider other options. There are different kinds of braces now ; look into those. But even those will affect your playing, but not as much.

trickg

My sister had braces and came out of it ok, although she decided to give up playing trumpet when she left high school. On the other hand, a friend of mine, whom I always competed with for first chair in junior high, never recovered from getting braces and it ruined his embouchure for trumpet. He played euphonium for a bit, but he eventually quit that too. However, I don't know how much effort he put into it either because he was a gifted athlete and at the time in my High School, it was uncool to be in the band, but you were guaranteed to be popular if you were a good athlete.

I would really research the issue before you get braces. If you have good chops now and things are working for your playing, I would certainly consider putting it off for a while. Something else to consider, your dentist does not have your best interests in mind when it comes to your playing. Getting braces is an expensive endeavor and if he can talk you into them, so much the better for his bankroll.

Rgale

There are now braces called Invisalign. They might be worth looking into if you really want to do this, though they are more expensive.

BPinard

The invisalign braces won't affect your lips as much (they're clear plastic that you slide over your teeth and are removable), but they will still affect your playing due to tooth movement.

dojs11685

I am thinking about getting invisalign braces on only my lower teeth, but I am a little nervous. I would like to know if anyone has/had them and what they thought of them.