Posted by Chuck Jackson on February 28, 2000 at 01:31:26:
In Reply to: Re: Getting Older posted by ken k on February 27, 2000 at 23:59:54:
Ken, I almost quit playing 4 years ago when my teeth had shifted so bad that I couldn't keep a tone steady from d right below the staff to Bb second line. I was pushing my jaw forward to compensate and was cutting off blood to my top lip. I had some splinting done to push them back. It worked miracles, but took me the better part of two years to fix the bad habits. Have it checked closely. As a result of all this, I now play a Conn helleberg , a mouthpiece with a sharp rim I never would have played before. Seems to be the best for me overall, my dentist feels that it somehow locks in the muscles. Good Luck. BTW, after the splinting, I am playing better than I ever have. There is hope if something goes awry.