The effects of orthodontic appliances on wind-instrument players.

The questionnaire contained the following six questions: 1. What instrument do you play? 2. How long did you play it before you had braces? 3. How did braces affect the way you played your instrument? 4. How long did it take you to get used to playing your instrument with braces? 5. Did any specific aids (examples: wax, brace guard, etc.) help you get used to playing your instrument with braces? 6. Do you have any suggestions to help people who play wind instruments adjust easier to braces? Band students at a high school and junior high school in Katy, Texas, and at high schools in the Oklahoma City area were surveyed. A total of 78 responses were received. The instruments were f grouped into five categories based on the type o mouthpiece and its relationship to the oral structures (Table 1).