Re: [Harp-L] Re: dental work

Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx> · Thu, 3 Mar 2005 12:11:33 -0500

On Mar 2, 2005, at 6:31 PM, Harmonica Blu wrote:
I'd like to hear from anyone out there who has had dental work that 
affected

the air flow  through the teeth and thus his or her harp playing. I 
may have

to have periodontal surgery on four back teeth and the specialist 
inquired

if the slight change of shape of my gum line would be a problem.

 Back teeth? shouldn't be a problem
 He has
worked with a trumpeter who adjusted with little or no problem and an
classical vocalist who said he needed to work up some changes in his
technical approach.

 Back teeth (for a trumpeter) shouldn't have been a problem as the 
mouthpiece is set on the lower lip backed up by the teeth/jaw bone. 
More below.
I don't think it would be a problem with me - the surgery would be
relatively minor. But I would like to hear from the harp community.

 You HAD to ask
 Please

reply off as well as on list because my participation these days is 
spotty.

Thanks in advance.

Harmonica Blu

BluXpress@xxxxxxxxx

www.HarmonicaBluXpress.com
 In my younger days, I played several musical instruments. It was 
around 1980 when I was in a horrendous fatal helicopter accident and 
had my face shattered. My jaw was pinned together from several pieces, 
but I still had most of my teeth, especially on the bottom. I was 
still able to play trumpet though it took some time and I could never 
hit the high notes again because the pressure was too much pain.

   Around 1990 I was in a prison riot (Camp Hill, Pa.) and was injured 
again. My jaw was broken and I had to go with store bought teeth. They 
couldn't put in "posts" because there wasn't much jaw to work with, 
Soooo, that nixed the trumpet playing. After a few years, I was still 
able to handle clarinet & harmonica.
  Offhand, I would say that work in the BACK of the mouth will have 
virtually no effect on your playing. I would imagine that as 
material(s) are removed from the back of the mouth, the cavity 
increases and one's tone might change a little (possibly fuller?)
 A lot of the old timers played without ANY teeth, and I don't remember 
as it messed them up. Now THERE's a thread; how many old time greats 
played WITHOUT teeth?
the ghost of smokey joe (still on Penicyllin and almost an obituary)