<p>My middle school ds got braces, and is having trouble playing. He has friends who’ve been able to continue with trumpet even with the braces, but the wax doesn’t seem to help as it isn’t the wire in the gums bothering him, but the actual pressure on the teeth. He has a pretty dramatic overbite on top so maybe that has something to do with it. His band teacher is losing patience and quite annoyed with him because he’s not playing–even though there is an abundance of trumpets in the band so one would hardly matter. His band teacher is now making him write sentences about being cooperative and responsible, and now he wants to quit band. Is it really that unusual for it to take a while to adjust to playing with braces? How long did it take your child?</p>
<p>This was decades ago, but my orthodontist said no to all reed instruments and flutes. If I was going to be in band with braces, it would have to be trumpet or trombone. (No orchestra, string instrument option in those days.) I tried and couldn’t do it, but I also hadn’t started playing the instrument before I got braces. I remember both the bloody lips, despite the wax, and the sore teeth. I can understand your son wanting to quit, especially with a band director stressing cooperation and responsibility. How about taking up drums?</p>
<p>Both of my kids played trumpet, had braces put on, and continued to play trumpet. When asked, both of them remembered that it took “about a month” for their mouth to quit hurting from the pressure of the mouthpiece, the raw lips rubbing against the metal brackets, etc… I remember “googling” to try to find specific tips on how to adjust to playing a trumpet after getting braces put on. I found a few helpful, very specific articles. I don’t remember what the suggestions were, but my son found them pretty helpful. (It was nice just being able to feel like my child wasn’t “alone” in his struggle to adjust to a new playing style.) My other kid just figured it out by experimenting. It’s a shame that the band director isn’t able to cut your son some slack for a few weeks. Good luck to you both!</p>
<p>2 trumpet players with braces here. We had the dentist prescribe ibuprofen to be taken at lunch. Band was after lunch. They would go to the nurses office right before lunch. It helped a lot during the adjustment period. They needed it each time they were tightened, too. They used the wax too but there was 1 brand better than others and I no longer remember what it was.</p>
<p>S1 got braces in 6th grade. He also got this torture device called a Herbst appliance.
He was not able to play his trumpet. His band teacher was nice enough to let him switch to drums.
S2 got braces/Herbst in summer after 6th grade. He continued to play his trombone with no prob.
He also went through three football seasons with braces.</p>
<p>Some kids can work it out and some can’t.</p>
<p>I’ve been in band for six years now and have seen many people in all sections adjust to playing with braces, including several trumpet players. I can’t estimate how long it will take for your son to adjust, because it really varies between people; however, I did have a friend who had troubles adjusting and switched to playing the baritone and euphonium. From what I hear, those instrument are much easier to play in that sense. If he is considering dropping, make sure he knows of all of his options. I may be biased, but band is one of the best things you can participate in. Good luck!</p>
<p>D did the braces and trumpet thing–had been playing several years before the braces; never really made the adjustment. Took up drums in the summer but the band director, an otherwise nice guy, woudln’t let her switch. Even after the braces, she never really enjoyed it. In retrospect, we should have insisted he let her switch, or threatened to pull her out. I think a little more helicoptering would have been better, in hindsight.</p>
<p>Ten years later, she still loves the drums (we keep her set in our attic till she gets enough room), but won’t pick up a trumpet.</p>
<p>Packmom, is the Herbst appliance something that moves the lower jaw forward? Because that’s next on the treatment list, so it would be nice to know. His friend that plays clarinet got something they refer to as “jasper jumpers” that is doing the same thing–pulling the lower jaw forward. She switched from clarinet to flute.</p>
<p>I appreciate all the shared info. here. My older son went to a Catholic middle school and one year of Catholic high school, and they didn’t offer band. When he switched to public school he frequently said he wished he’d had the opportunity for it. I too feel that band can be an amazing thing, but I fear my son’s experience has turned very negative. I think he was shocked at how irritated and dismissive his band teacher was about his painful mouth because he’d been pretty patient with some of the other kids when they got their braces. He really wasn’t expecting the negative reaction. I’m more than a little baffled by it, as they have a huge number of trumpets and are in fact being told often that the trumpets are too loud and to play more softly. Seems like they could live without my son for a bit. </p>
<p>I’d love for him to continue in band next year in 9th grade, but I don’t know if he can drop it in 8th and still join in 9th. Our high school band is not fantastic, and the marching band is downright pitiful, but it’s a good program. We have another high school in town that has an incredible band program, but I think it would be too demanding for my son anyway, so I felt this was a good fit–a chance to be a part of it and play some music, without having to raise the money to travel a lot. Unless his teacher switches tactics midstream, I really think he’s done. He’s been yelled at every day, and he’s had it. </p>
<p>Now, lest you think I’m one of those moms that thinks her son can do no wrong–I’m sure if there were an Olympic event for eye rolling my ds would be a gold medalist. I’m sure once the band director started pushing, my ds dug in his heals and started pulling. The band director is not well liked, and he loses a bunch of kids from 6th grade to 7th, and then another 25% from 7th to 8th. I don’t know if that’s typical, but it’s pretty dramatic at the concerts to see the size difference in each year. I feel a little out of my element because I didn’t particpate in band. I was talking to a friend who has an 8th grader at a different middle school, and she said when her 8th grader dropped the extra-curricular jazz band because he was too busy, his band grade took a steep dive–from an A to a C. Is this typical? I was talking to my brother today and I said it felt a little like a sport–that if you don’t commit to the travel team then the coach was not happy–and my brother, who is a musician said,“Oh, I think musicians can be even bigger ****** than sports nuts.” Hmmmm. I can’t imagine…</p>
<p>Trumpet son had braces in 6th grade off before hs. Ortho gave him a vinyl or v pliable plastic strip with ridges that fit the brackets provided a smooth surface on teeth. It was always difficult day or so after adjustments. His 6th grade band teacher was very caring, but left for better job. Son could play without strip but prefered strip.</p>
<p>I played french horn in middle school and high school. When I first got braces, I had to learn how to get a sound of the horn again. Then when I got the braces off (unfortunately the day before region orchestra tryouts) I had to learn how to play again. It took a couple weeks and then I was fine. Some kids don’t need wax when they play with braces; however, I did.</p>
<p>My D had adjustments going both ways…braces on and off twice. Off was huge adjustment, but her playing improved after a while. I think the braces permanently affected her embouchure - she played to the side after braces. She was strong and determined about getting up to speed each time - probably because there were so few players. Her band director had her for 7 years, and was supportive every time.</p>
<p>Those things can really rip up your mouth.</p>
<p>I had both braces and a Herbst appliance in middle school while playing the trumpet (lot of metal!). It indeed pulls the lower jaw forward to assist with overbite. </p>
<p>I had the same problem – lots of pressure already being placed on the teeth that made it even more painful to add additional trumpet-metal pressure while playing. There are additional mouthpieces you can add that help distribute the pressure over a greater surface area, and you can also try learning to play without applying as much pressure + ibuprofen (which is what I did) – I recommend checking out something like [How</a> to Play Trumpet With Braces | eHow.com](<a href=“http://www.ehow.com/how_5488948_play-trumpet-braces.html]How”>http://www.ehow.com/how_5488948_play-trumpet-braces.html)</p>
<p>Thanks Max! It just seems like band directors would be dealing with this all the time and would have some helpful suggestions and some compassion. He stopped the entire band on Friday and said,“Henry, why aren’t you playing?” He answered, “Because it hurts.” </p>
<p>“Well do what you need to do to take care of it and then get on with it!!!” </p>
<p>Ds was mortified.</p>
<p>I goggled and jet tone lip protector looks liked strip son used.</p>
<p>Max just reminded me that S1 did switch out his mouthpiece to one that was easier on the mouth - slightly larger? I’m not sure, but his trumpet teacher gave us the info to get it. That, wax and ibuprofen got him over the worst of it. But it was still a rough day or so at each adjustment.</p>
<p>Band teacher has suggested switching him to baritone or tuba, and when he wakes up I’m going to ask if he’s willing to try that. He actually had suggested switching ds last year to baritone because,“we need more baritones” and I told ds that we need to not be buying another instrument right now. The band teacher says the baritone or tuba have less pressure on the mouth, so maybe this will be the solution. It’s not like ds loves the trumpet anyway at this point. The trumpet is sort of his vehicle into high school band, so that he can be in jazz band sophomore year and play the bass. </p>
<p>Thanks all!</p>
<p>helenback, yep, the herbst is the thing that pushes the jaw forward. S1 had a really hard time adjusting to it along with the braces all at once. I think it was a big part of his trumpet troubles. He played drums until mid-way thru eighth gr. when his middle sch. band started to disintergrate (director was kind of nutso). He quit to take a different elective class. He knew he was not going to do band in h.s.</p>
<p>S2,on the other hand, had the herbst app. for awhile before getting the braces so he was able to acclimate gradually. Also since the trombone had a bigger mouthpiece, it was prob. a little easier to adjust to than trumpet. S2 also quit band at eighth grade. He was totally focused on football by then.</p>
<p>The herbst is a pretty weird contraption. Our Ortho. uses it a lot, esp. for boys. It works similiarly to “headgear” but kids don’t have the “option” of not wearing the herbst like they do the headgear. Both my S’s came out with beautiful teeth so it was worth it.</p>
<p>Ibuprofin is good. :)</p>
<p>The article on eHow was helpful. They recommend not trying to be a star with the high notes, but ask to play the lower part (3rd tpt?) so there will be less pressure on your mouth.</p>
<p>I remember one band director maintaining that you should be able to suspend your trumpet on a string, walk up to it, and play a note without putting pressure on your mouth. It sounded weird to us then, but I think it’s something you should aim for.</p>
<p>He did take a lot of Ibuprofin in the beginning and it helped him be able to eat, but it didn’t help with the trumpet. </p>
<p>I really hate for him to give up band because it seems like such a good way to stay connected at school and all of his friends are in band. He will try the tennis team in the fall, but other than that he’s not in any sports. His high school is now pushing 1900 kids so I think it’s important for him to be involved in something and band will keep him in touch with those friends that he might not see in classes so much next year. </p>
<p>Then again, he looked pretty darn happy when I said I would look into switching him to study hall. I don’t know if he’s just hit a plateau or if he’s really done with band. Or perhaps if the band director quits hassling him every day he’d be enjoying it more. </p>
<p>This Herbst thing must be the new ortho favorite. My son does have a pretty dramatic over bite and really needs his lower jaw to come forward as well, so I don’t doubt he needs it. I had two ortho consultations and they both said the same thing. </p>
<p>Thanks all!</p>
<p>Totally unrelated but worth noting: The Herbst a cool device, but you have to really take good care of your teeth. When you have both braces AND a Herbst appliance, you’ve got a lot of metal covering you teeth and big bolty things blocking direct access to certain parts of your lower gums. You have to take a lot of extra time to make sure you keep things clean.</p>