The Clarinetist's Guide to Braces

Braces can do wonders to help create the perfect smile, but let’s face it – they’re a real pain in the…mouth.

The majority of people will have braces at some point in their life. A common age to get braces is during the preteen or early teen years, which is coincidentally around the time many clarinetists begin their musical journey!

Fear not – braces don’t have to put an end to your clarinet career! Here’s everything you need to know about playing the clarinet with braces, whether you’ve already played for a while or are planning to start after you get braces.

Can You Play Clarinet With Braces?

Yes, although it might be uncomfortable at first. Proper clarinet embouchure dictates that your lower lip should cover your lower teeth and act as a cushion between your teeth and the mouthpiece. Braces can cut into your lower lip, but this should only hurt for a few days after you get them. It’s also normal to feel discomfort any time you have your braces adjusted or tightened. Fear not, because there are several ways to avoid the discomfort (see “essentials” below).

Keep in mind: If you play any instrument with braces, there will be varying amounts of discomfort. I’ve seen too many younger students dissuaded from playing clarinet or even joining band because they were afraid it would hurt too much. While it might be uncomfortable at first, remember this – you will adjust to having braces. Don’t let braces stop you from playing clarinet or participating in music programs!

Something to consider: Many professional musicians use Invisalign or other teeth-correcting devices to avoid a mouthful of metal. Talk to your orthodontist to see if an alternative correction is right for you.

Braces Myths

You have to change your embouchure with braces.

False! The fundamental embouchure remains the same, although it might feel different for a while after first getting braces. Clarinetists, even younger students, are trained to become hyper-focused on the micro-muscles used in the embouchure. When you add something like braces, even though they are relatively small, it will feel strange in the mouth of a clarinetist. Check with your band director or private teacher to make sure you aren’t developing any bad embouchure habits.

You should choose another instrument to play which is better suited to braces.

For the love of clarinet, don’t go to the dark side! Clarinet is actually one of the instruments least affected by braces, and there are so many products and solutions to avoid pain (see below for my recommendations).

You can’t start learning clarinet until you’ve had braces.

Nope, nice try! You can start learning clarinet at any point, whether you currently have braces or are planning to get them in the future.

Braces Basics

Brush your teeth before you play.

You should be doing this even if you don’t have braces, but it’s especially important if you do. Food particles easily get trapped in braces, so make sure you brush thoroughly each time before you play to avoid blowing chunks of food through your clarinet. (Gross, I know.)

Schedule orthodontist appointments around band activities.

Because you’ll likely experience mild discomfort for a few days after every adjustment, make sure you don’t schedule appointments too close to band concerts, auditions, or recitals.

Consider using softer reeds.

If you’re having difficulty producing the same sound you had before braces, try going down a half strength in reeds. For softer strengths and younger players, I recommend using Vandoren’s JUNO reeds, which are softer than other Vandoren cuts and are great for beginners.

Check your embouchure.

Your embouchure shouldn’t change with the addition of braces, although it might feel different at first. Have your band director or private teacher check to make sure you aren’t developing any bad habits because of braces.

Check your articulation and tongue position.

Some braces only have correctors on the front side of your teeth, but some corrections require hardware on the back of your teeth. This will feel strange on your tongue at first, but good news – it shouldn’t affect clarinet articulation, which requires the most minimal of tongue movement. Make sure that you aren’t developing any bad articulation habits to avoid making contact with any behind-the-teeth hardware.

Be extra careful with your reeds.

Who would win – sharp, expensive, metal orthodontia or delicate sticks of cane? Be careful every time you put the clarinet in your mouth not to chip reeds on your braces.

Wear your retainer.

There’s a reason your orthodontist (and maybe your parents) nag you about wearing your retainer. In addition to maintaining that pretty smile of newly corrected teeth, you don’t want to reverse these corrections and have to go through the entire process of braces again!

Suggested Practice Routine When You First Get Braces:

• Start slowly. Begin with a few minutes of practice a day, gradually adding 10-20 minutes each day until you are comfortably back at your normal practice time.
• Practice soft long tones in the lower register to adjust to how your embouchure feels with braces.
• Take frequent breaks. Don’t push yourself too much to avoid a sore mouth.
• Stop if you experience severe pain or discomfort.

Essentials For The Clarinetist With Braces:

• Something to protect your lower lip. My favorite lip protector (with or without braces) is EZO denture cushions. You can cut a section of the denture pad off, fold and mold to your lower teeth, and it lasts for several weeks. You can also use wax, folded cigarette paper, floral tape, or anything else which serves as a barrier between your bottom teeth and lower lip. Some of these are more impervious to saliva than others, so find a cushion which you don’t have to replace every five minutes.
• Travel toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. Oral hygiene is always important, even more so for musicians, especially those with braces. (Fun fact: I keep a tube of Vademecum toothpaste in my clarinet kit as a superstitious nod to Jeanjean’s method book of the same name. Every time I use it, I like to think it’s giving me secret technical powers.)
• Mouthwash. If you need to clean your mouth but don’t have time to brush, mouthwash is a great alternative. Mouthwash can also be used in a pinch to sanitize reeds. Pro tip: Cover the top with cling wrap before securing the cap after each use to avoid leaks or spills.
• Numbing gels. For elevated braces pain, you can use over-the-counter numbing gels to helps relieve discomfort.
• Painkillers. Can help with braces pain. Be sure to check with your doctor before taking anything!

Wisdom Teeth

Many people have their wisdom teeth removed around the time they have their braces removed, so here are a few pieces of advice:

• Schedule your wisdom removal appointment carefully. You shouldn’t play for a few weeks after they’re removed, so make sure you don’t have any important auditions or concerts too close to the procedure.
• Don’t play too soon. Most doctors recommend taking 1-4 weeks off from practicing after wisdom teeth removal. The pressure and air can cause dry sockets, so you want to follow their directions carefully! (Here are my suggestions for ways to practice without opening the case!)
• Gradually rebuild your practice routine. As with braces, start with only a few minutes a day of quiet, low long tones. Gradually add time over the course of a week or two until you’re back to your pre-procedure practice routine.

About the Author

Dr. Jenny Maclay enjoys a diverse career as a clarinet soloist, recitalist, orchestral player, chamber musician, pedagogue, and blogger. In 2021, she was the Visiting Instructor of Clarinet at Brandon University (Canada) and was Visiting Lecturer of Clarinet at Iowa State University in 2020. She is currently the Adjunct Instructor of Clarinet at Harper College. Online, she is known as Jenny Clarinet, where she created her eponymous popular blog.

In addition to teaching and performing, Jenny is also interested in travelling and researching clarinet cultures around the world. To date, she has visited and performed in over 35 countries, and she enjoys meeting other clarinetists during her travels. Recently, she was selected by the Council of Faroese Artists as an artist-in-residence in Tjørnuvík, Faroe Islands, where she performed and promoted clarinet compositions by Faroese composers at the 2022 and 2023 Summartónar Festivals. In 2022, she was named an Artist-in-Residence Niederösterreich, where she studied the clarinet compositions of Ernst Krenek and his wife Gladys Nordenstrom during her residency in Krems-an-der-Donau, Austria. Inspired by her travels, Jenny often programs music from around the world, including Faroese clarinet duets, music by female Baltic composers, and clarinet music of the Balkans.

Jenny was the recipient of the 2015-2016 Harriet Hale Woolley Award for musical study in Paris, where she was an artist-in-residence at the Fondation des États-Unis. She received her Master of Musique, interprétation, et patrimoine at the Versailles Conservatoire in the class of Philippe Cuper and her Doctorat en musique interprétation at the Université de Montréal in the class of André Moisan. She has achieved a number of other notable musical honors, including selection as a prizewinner, finalist, and semi-finalist for such international competitions as Concerts Artists Guild and Astral Artists, and other recent prizes include 1st prize at the Clé d’Or international music competition and highest-ranking clarinetist at the Tunbridge Wells International Young Artist Competition in England. Recently, she has performed at the American Single Reed Summit, Ernst Krenek Institut, Listasavn Føroya (Faroese National Gallery), Alte Schmiede Vienna, Köchel Gesellschaft, Österreichischen Klarinettengesellschaft, among other venues. Jenny performed a virtual recital at the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest 2021, featuring a transcription of Brahms’ Zwei Gesänge, Op. 91 for clarinet, theremin, and piano. Past performances include a virtual recital for the U.S. Embassy France and a collaborative duo recital with Sauro Berti, solo bass clarinetist of Teatro dell’Opera di Roma at ClarinetFest 2019.

Jenny has performed with orchestras throughout Europe and North America. In 2017, she toured with the Jeune Philharmonie franco-allemande et hongroise, an international orchestra comprised of musicians from over 20 different countries. During past seasons, she has performed with several orchestras, including the Ensemble Orchestral Les Voyages Extraordinaires, Écoute Ensemble de Musique Contemporaine, Orchestre d’Harmonie de Levallois, Florida Orchestra, Valdosta Symphony, and Ocala Symphony. As a chamber musician, she has performed several masterworks in prestigious venues, including the Mozart clarinet quintet at La Seine Musicale and the Messiaen Quatuor pour la fin du temps at the Fondation des États-Unis in Paris.

Jenny received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Clarinet Performance from the University of Florida, where she graduated summa cum laude and was a Fulbright Scholar alternate. Her teachers include Philippe Cuper, Karl Leister, André Moisan, Mitchell Estrin, Todd Waldecker, John Cooper, and Donald Dowdy. She was the youngest presenter of refereed research at the 2014 International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest. Recently, Jenny has been an invited artist and presented lectures on musicpreneurship at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien, Eiði Musikkskúlin, Louisiana State University, University of Memphis, University of Iowa, Loyola University, Millikin University, Middle Tennessee State University, University of Alabama Birmingham, University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, University of Southern Mississippi, and has been a featured soloist at the keynote ceremony of the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference.

Jenny Clarinet has been featured in The Clarinet and the Clarineat podcast and has been named one of Feedspot’s “Top 20 Clarinet Blogs, Websites, and Influencers to Follow.” To date, she has published over 380 articles which have been read in over 180 countries and translated into multiple languages, and she has contributed articles which have been featured in The Clarinet, Vandoren WAVE newsletter, Deutsche Klarinetten-Gesellschaft, Rodriguez Musical Services blog, and Lisa’s Clarinet Shop blog. Her first book, an examination of unaccompanied clarinet repertoire, is currently in publication. Jenny Maclay is a Henri Selmer Paris Artist and Vandoren Artist-Clinician.

In addition to clarinet, Jenny is also learning to play the theremin, an early electronic instrument and the only one played without physical contact. After writing this blog post, Jenny became interested in the theremin and has collaborated and performed with theremin virtuosi Grégoire Blanc and Charlie Draper. You can listen to some of these collaborations here and here.

When she’s not onstage or in a practice room, Jenny enjoys travelling the world and has visited over 35 countries. During her travels, she likes to befriend the local cats and enjoys reading books at kitschy cafés. Her caffeination of choice is espresso or Earl Grey tea.