cmcdougall

I just got my wisdom teeth out friday and will be off the horn for 10 days to 2 weeks, I was just wondering if anyone with experience of going through this procedure has any advice on how to best come back from it. I have not gone more than 2 or three days without playing in over 6 years, so any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys.



P.S. I apologize if this question is porrly worded, I've never taken Oxycodone before...

Manny Laureano

Don't fret about it one bit, Collin.

Enjoy the milkshakes, listen to all your favorite CD's, get to a piano and play as often as the spirit moves you, and try to remember to take some huge trumpet breaths a few times everyday. Stay in touch with the music and it'll stay in touch with you when you need it.

No joke... just approach it like a vacation from the horn not from music. Go to concerts wherever they might be.

ML

Brekelefuw

I got my wisdom teeth taken out two years ago. I was terrified. Luckily my oral surgeon was a trumpet player himself so when I was knocked out I had some nice jazz on in the background and I woke up to Carnival of Venice played by Sergei Nakariakov. I actually tried to sing along with it when I woke up in my drugged up state.

After 3 days I was doing short buzzing excersizes, and after about 5-6 days I was doing low long tones.

For me there wasn't much pain afterwards and I hardly needed the drugs they gave me, so I was able to get back on the horn as soon as I could since college was starting up again soon and I had auditions to prepare.

kadleck

cmcdougall -

My advice would be to NOT rush back into it. I had my lowers out (impacted, and sitting on nerves) about 3 years ago. Everyone probably differs in recovery time. I was planning on 2-3 weeks off, but was able to ease back after about 12 days. I knew of a saxophone player that played too soon and blew his stitching out. (That scared me enough to wait a bit.)

Just go slow at first. And listen to Manny ... there's more to music out there than just playing the trumpet. Now is your chance to experience it.

Best wishes!

Tony

trumpetera

The former solo trombone player of the Stockholm Opera had his wisdom tooth removed, and the idiot who did the job managed to rip off the nerve to his lover lip!

Hopefully he'll be able to play again one day.

Solar Bell

Just as a warning...

As a musician especially, get a second opinion before allowing a dentist remove your wisdom teeth. There are circumstances where they do need to be removed, however my dentist admits that the removal of wisdom teeth is being done at an alarming rate, to people who don't really have a need for them to be removed.

Just be aware, get another opinion.

-cw-

Rimshot

I agree with Shilke B6

I'm not a doctor or a dentist, but what I've discovered indicates that the real incidence of future problems associated with wisdom teeth, such as cysts and tumors, which your dentist may have scared you with, is exceedingly low, almost "background". If you could magically have wisdom teeth removed with no risk at all, it would probably be a good thing to do. But the fact is, there is risk, and it is real surgery. I also suffered nerve damage as a result, which has NOT turned out to be "temporary", and that is more likely the more impacted a tooth is.

In retrospect, I personally would not have had the surgery if I had done more research, and sought more opinions. This is certainly an individual decision, and the odds are you won't have any problems. But some people do. Check it out some more.

cmcdougall

Theyve already been removed guys, and all four of mine were impacted, and my mom is a dental hygienist. I'm talking about ways to get back to playing.

Tootsall

Listen to your mother.

Don't start working on range too soon and blow out a clot (which can result in a "dry socket").

Take it easy... pretend you are just starting out.

Obey your dentist; he has a good idea of how much healing is required given your individual "extent of damage".

Obey your mother (always!)

Rimshot

Whoops, sorry. Some of us only read music.

Nontheless, don't risk the dry socket thing. a couple of weeks off is better than a month in terms of recovery!