wierd one...dentures and singing...

[dthumb]

as a result of many years of foolish dental hygiene (poverty driven) and pipe smoking i have had to have all of my teeth removed (but, three) and have gotten dentures.
now, i realize i just got these things and have to learn to adjust and relearn many things with them but,....will i ever be able to sing again?...
i am truly dubious....not that it might not be a favor to the rest of humanity but.....i do kinda like to sing sometimes and it just ain't looking good....any thoughts or encouragement?....

[oldgeezer]

In 5-10 years I'll probably be in your position and have been dreading it.However, I have a friend who wears dentures, and he sings just fine, so it is possible. Good luck and don't despair.

[rattletrap]

Hi Barrett,

I'm surprised to see this thread on here. I Lost my teeth because of one of my neurological problems, Meigs syndrome. I get what is effectively lockjaw or I tic and my jaw muscles chomp down rapidly and repeatedly and VERY hard. I was exploding teeth from the extreme forces. They took all of them to try and control it and it has for the most part worked. I've broken 3 sets of dentures too. I'm kind of an extreme case.

Your mouth is going to be changing for the next 6-9 months as the bone breaks down and the dentures will not fit correctly for the better part of a year and you will need to get them refitted (relined) then. Temporary liners will work in the first year.

I recommend that you use adhesives. There are lots of kinds and brands. What I've found to work the best is the Fixodent extra hold powder. You can get it at wal mart or lots of grocery stores, walgreens etc. I've tried most of them and this works by far the best. It generally lasts me all day, which is saying something because my mouth is constantly having tics.

The adhesives do a couple things.
1) they hold the plates tight and they feel much more like a real part of your mouth.
2) they hold the plates tight so that you can bite and chew much more easily.
3) It keeps food from getting under the plate.
4) the adhesive acts as a cushion (critical for me)

[Chicago Sandy]

I've noticed lately that Richie Havens no longer removes his dentures to sing, and he sounds fine (and easier to understand). And though they may look disconcerting, they don't seem to have impacted Barry Gibb's diction (his aging vocal folds are another matter).

I have only one fixed partial denture ("Maryland bridge") for the center lower front incisor (the tooth fell victim to irreparable fracture after a fall--root canal and crown worked only for a few years), but I do have a severe overbite and am facing a possible two-year stint with either lingual (tongue-side) braces or Invisaligns on my top teeth, as my lower teeth are acting as wedges that are inexorably prying them forward till they loosen and eventually fall out. I had regular braces twice before, and found that it took about a week of assiduously reciting speech exercises to learn not to lisp; but when singing I had to temporarily remove the rubber bands in order to open my mouth wide enough not to go flat on vowels. It took all the discipline I had to put them back on as soon as I stopped singing, since having them on HURT (well, duh--they're moving your teeth). Then I had to deal with a year of a retainer--and having this foreign object against my soft palate. Got used to it.....only to have lost it somewhere unkown during the "reverse-peristalsis" aftermath of a beer-soaked evening in Nova Scotia in 1983. I got a good song out of my misfortune, but I never got the retainer replaced: my orthodontist thought I no longer needed it anyway. Big mistake: had I gotten a new one and worn it another years, I might not be facing yet a third bout of orthodontia as I enter my golden years.

Short answer, Barrett, is that you'll get used to it. You might want to record yourself a few times during the adjustment process to ensure you're not "clicking" or making "sloshing" sounds--if you are, your dentist can tweak the fitting or a vocal coach can give you some workarounds.

BTW, Jackson Browne wore Invisaligns for awhile in his mid-fifties, singing all the while.

[dthumb]

Originally Posted by rattletrap

Hi Barrett,

I'm surprised to see this thread on here. I Lost my teeth because of one of my neurological problems, Meigs syndrome. I get what is effectively lockjaw or I tic and my jaw muscles chomp down rapidly and repeatedly and VERY hard. I was exploding teeth from the extreme forces. They took all of them to try and control it and it has for the most part worked. I've broken 3 sets of dentures too. I'm kind of an extreme case.

Your mouth is going to be changing for the next 6-9 months as the bone breaks down and the dentures will not fit correctly for the better part of a year and you will need to get them refitted (relined) then. Temporary liners will work in the first year.

I recommend that you use adhesives. There are lots of kinds and brands. What I've found to work the best is the Fixodent extra hold powder. You can get it at wal mart or lots of grocery stores, walgreens etc. I've tried most of them and this works by far the best. It generally lasts me all day, which is saying something because my mouth is constantly having tics.

The adhesives do a couple things.
1) they hold the plates tight and they feel much more like a real part of your mouth.
2) they hold the plates tight so that you can bite and chew much more easily.
3) It keeps food from getting under the plate.
4) the adhesive acts as a cushion (critical for me)

well, craig, i know we've discussed this before but, here it is...its done! these things are driving me nuts but, i am determined to keep the stupid things in my mouth .(i'm still swollen from the extraction of 6 teeth yesterday..he front uppers).
a friend suggested the sea bond liners...have you tried them? she and her father (cliff, the one that died but, not from bad dentures) both used them and thought they helped alot..especially during the healing process.
i dunno....right now i'm feeling a little skeptical about ever singing right again...ok...so i'm feeling a little sorry for myself but, so what.....i deserve to whine evry once in a while......got cheese???

Originally Posted by Chicago Sandy

Short answer, Barrett, is that you'll get used to it. You might want to record yourself a few times during the adjustment process to ensure you're not "clicking" or making "sloshing" sounds--if you are, your dentist can tweak the fitting or a vocal coach can give you some workarounds.

BTW, Jackson Browne wore Invisaligns for awhile in his mid-fifties, singing all the while.

the recording idea is a good one but, i think i'll have to wait a while till these suckers get lined and my gums swelling goes down....right now i wanna spew teeth all over everywhere every time i speak...flippeddy flop, shhhhhttrrr...flippeddy flop...ssshhtrrrrr...
infuriating!.....

[rattletrap]

Originally Posted by dthumb

well, craig, i know we've discussed this before but, here it is...its done! these things are driving me nuts but, i am determined to keep the stupid things in my mouth .(i'm still swollen from the extraction of 6 teeth yesterday..he front uppers).
a friend suggested the sea bond liners...have you tried them? she and her father (cliff, the one that died but, not from bad dentures) both used them and thought they helped alot..especially during the healing process.
i dunno....right now i'm feeling a little skeptical about ever singing right again...ok...so i'm feeling a little sorry for myself but, so what.....i deserve to whine evry once in a while......got cheese???

Hey Barrett,

I know exactly where you are Barrett. At first they are quite infuriating! They feel like you have this big ol thing in your mouth. The first week or two is really hard, in that your mouth is so swollen and all the bone is shaped like spires and are really sharp. The dentures and the gums hurt like crazy. Some of the bone will break down and dull, some of the sharp bone pieces will work their way thru the gums. This will take a few weeks.

Yes I've tried the Sea Bond liners. They work well for filling in the large gaps, but only last a couple hours and then they come loose. They are probably a good choice for the first couple weeks, but after that they don't do very well. Past the first couple weeks when you need the extra padding there are better choices.

As for the singing, once you get past the point of the bone in your jaw breaking down and you are used to the plates, you will be just fine. your brain will teach your tongue to adjust. I never had to worry about singing, my singing sounds somewhere between a diesel engine with no oil or the worn out brakes on an 18 wheeler. Hmmm, I guess I could also compare my singing to a planer with dull blades.

Craig

I just thought I would add that I STRONGLY recommend that you keep the plates in your mouth 24 and 7, except for cleaning and re-gluing. That way you will get so used to them being in your mouth that you will feel really weird with them out. But, if you take them you have a good chance of not getting used to them and then will tend not to wear them.

[dthumb]

Originally Posted by rattletrap

Hey Barrett,

I know exactly where you are Barrett. At first they are quite infuriating! They feel like you have this big ol thing in your mouth. The first week or two is really hard, in that your mouth is so swollen and all the bone is shaped like spires and are really sharp. The dentures and the gums hurt like crazy. Some of the bone will break down and dull, some of the sharp bone pieces will work their way thru the gums. This will take a few weeks.

Yes I've tried the Sea Bond liners. They work well for filling in the large gaps, but only last a couple hours and then they come loose. They are probably a good choice for the first couple weeks, but after that they don't do very well. Past the first couple weeks when you need the extra padding there are better choices.

As for the singing, once you get past the point of the bone in your jaw breaking down and you are used to the plates, you will be just fine. your brain will teach your tongue to adjust. I never had to worry about singing, my singing sounds somewhere between a diesel engine with no oil or the worn out brakes on an 18 wheeler. Hmmm, I guess I could also compare my singing to a planer with dull blades.

Craig

I just thought I would add that I STRONGLY recommend that you keep the plates in your mouth 24 and 7, except for cleaning and re-gluing. That way you will get so used to them being in your mouth that you will feel really weird with them out. But, if you take them you have a good chance of not getting used to them and then will tend not to wear them.

hhhmmmm...that is encouraging...i think...but, hey, i've made it through 12 hours+ today with these choppers (flippiddy flopping around) ...thats pretty good, no? but, one more cold brewski and there're outta there!





('til tomorrow)

[rattletrap]

The Cold Beers will work well on multiple levels

1) the alcohol will numb the brain
2) the cold will numb the gum
3) A cold beer just tastes GOOD!

[dthumb]

sam adams honey porter...good for the soul!

[rattletrap]

That Sam Adams Cherry something or another aint too shabby either!

[mckejoel]

dthumb, your positive outlook and tenacity is an absolute inspiration! Some people would think about givinig up on the things they love to do and you are reaching out to the group for support. You are amazing dude!
PS - to celebrate your persistence... I am having a Sam Adams Boston Ale as we speak. Take care.

[dthumb]

Originally Posted by mckejoel

dthumb, your positive outlook and tenacity is an absolute inspiration! Some people would think about givinig up on the things they love to do and you are reaching out to the group for support. You are amazing dude!
PS - to celebrate your persistence... I am having a Sam Adams Boston Ale as we speak. Take care.

well, thank you...have one on me...

my daddy didn't raise no quitter..




(whine a little but, no quit in me!)