Living With Braces
6 min read • By Dr. Kevin Baharvand, Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics
If you play in the band or sing, one worry comes up before anything else: will braces mess with my music? It's a fair question, and the honest answer is that there's a short adjustment, not a dead end. Plenty of trumpet players, clarinetists, and vocalists go through orthodontics and come out sounding great. Here's exactly what to expect, instrument by instrument, plus why clear aligners are often the easiest path for performers.
Playing wind and brass instruments with braces
This is where braces are most noticeable, because your embouchure, the way your lips shape the mouthpiece, now has brackets underneath. At first the inside of your lips can feel tender pressing against them. The good news: your mouth adapts, usually within one to two weeks of steady practice, and there are simple fixes to bridge the gap.
| Instrument | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Brass (trumpet, French horn) | Most adjustment; small mouthpiece presses lips into brackets. Wax and an embouchure guard help. |
| Reed (clarinet, saxophone) | Manageable; lower lip cushions the reed. A short adaptation, then normal. |
| Flute | Least affected; you blow across the hole rather than pressing the mouthpiece. |
Does singing change with braces?
Here's the reassuring part for vocalists: your tone comes from your vocal cords and the resonating space in your throat and mouth, not from your teeth. Braces don't change that. What you might notice for a week or two is a slight lisp on certain consonants or a bit more saliva as your mouth gets used to the hardware. Both fade quickly, and singing through them is the fastest way to adapt. No serious singer has ever been ended by braces.
Why clear aligners are a musician's friend
This is the big one. Clear aligners are removable, so you simply take them out to rehearse, perform, or sing, then pop them back in afterward. For a brass player or a lead vocalist, that means zero interference during the moments that matter. Most people call them "Invisalign," but that's just one brand of clear aligner. We prefer Angel Aligners for most cases, and the removable advantage is the same. The one catch: aligners only work if you wear them about 22 hours a day, so you have to be disciplined about putting them back in after you play.
Tips to adjust faster
- Use orthodontic wax over the brackets before you play to cushion your lips.
- Try an embouchure guard, a thin plastic shield made for brass and woodwind players in braces.
- Practice through it. Short, regular sessions retrain your embouchure faster than waiting it out.
- Stay hydrated and keep wax handy at rehearsals and concerts.
- Give it two to four weeks. Nearly everyone is back to full form by then.
Musician or singer? Let's pick the right option.
A free consultation covers how each choice fits your instrument and your schedule.
Frequently asked questions
You may also be interested in these
Why families trust Elate Orthodontics
With over 1,000 five-star reviews across three locations, Elate Orthodontics is led by Dr. Kevin Baharvand, DMD, MS, a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, whose clinical work was recently selected for the cover of the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, the most prestigious peer-reviewed journal in the field, and a national speaker on clear aligner treatment. Alongside Dr. Julia Kang, DMD, MS, both Boston University graduates and members of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon national honor society, our husband-and-wife team has been recognized as D Magazine Best Dentist 2026, Living Magazine Readers' Choice 2026 Best Orthodontist in Frisco & Plano, Readers' Choice Best Orthodontist in The Colony, Best New Business by the Chamber of Commerce, Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite, and featured in Orthotown and Authority Magazine.
We serve families through three convenient offices in West Frisco, North Frisco, and The Colony, each staffed by the same trusted team, equipped with advanced technology, and committed to the personalized approach that consistently helps patients finish treatment sooner than expected. From braces and clear braces to Angel Aligners, we offer treatment for every age and every stage of life. We stay in-network with most insurance plans and offer flexible financing to make exceptional orthodontic care accessible for every family we serve.
Need general and family dentistry too? Our sister practice, Tribute Family Dentistry, provides dental care for all ages.
